New Jersey lawmakers meet with security officials after weeks of unexplained drone sightings
By Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN
(CNN) — New Jersey state lawmakers say they have been briefed by security officials amid a joint federal and state investigation into weeks of unexplained drone sightings across the state that have prompted heightened security concerns from residents, military personnel and state officials.
The mysterious origins of the aircraft – and their occasional proximity to military facilities – have led Congress members to sound alarm bells to top federal officials and spawned plenty of theories from residents and officials alike.
The Pentagon on Wednesday shut down speculation the drones may originate from a foreign entity or adversary. The denial came hours after US Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Republican, told Fox News the drones were from “a mothership” from Iran that is “off the East Coast of the United States of America.”
“There is not any truth to that,” deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said Wednesday. “There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States.”
The sightings began November 18 near Morris County, New Jersey, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Unnerved residents have described frequently seeing the drones hovering overhead, sometimes traveling in clusters.
Concerns escalated after drones were spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, according to military officials and state lawmakers. The sightings prompted the FAA to issue temporary flight restrictions over the properties.
At times, the aircraft have spanned up to 6 feet in diameter, according to two state lawmakers who attended the briefing Wednesday.
State Assembly member Dawn Fantasia said on X that the briefing occurred Wednesday at the New Jersey State Police headquarters and included descriptions of the aircraft’s movements and federal agencies’ response.
Though Gov. Phil Murphy has said there is no known threat to the public, Fantasia and other local leaders have expressed doubt and are demanding more transparency into the investigation.
US Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, pushed for more information from federal investigators in a letter sent Tuesday to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“I recognize the need to maintain operational security of ongoing investigations and that this situation requires complex interagency coordination,” Booker wrote. “However, there is a growing sense of uncertainty and urgency across the state – from constituents and local officials alike – despite assurances that the drones pose no known threats to public safety.”
The FBI in Newark has asked the public to report any information related to the drones, including in several areas along the Raritan River.
“Witnesses have spotted the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed-wing aircraft. We have reports from the public and law enforcement dating back several weeks,” the FBI field office in Newark said December 3.
During a US Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday, Robert Wheeler, assistant director of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, called the phenomenon “concerning” but said “there is nothing that is known” that would lead him to identify a public safety risk.
CNN has sought more information from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and New Jersey State Police.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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