‘We just don’t know’ who is behind mysterious drone flights in New Jersey

As mysterious drone flights continue in New Jersey, local officials expressed “sheer frustration” with the lack of updates from the FBI and other federal agencies on their investigations to share with growing residents. more nervous.

In Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, some members of Congress were equally frustrated by an FBI official who repeatedly told them that they had not yet identified an individual or group that might be responsible for the deluge of drones that garnered national attention while fraying nerves at home. the Garden State.

Asked by Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas), “Are you telling me we don’t know what these drones are in New Jersey?”

Robert Wheeler Jr., deputy director of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, responded: “That’s correct. »

“It’s crazy,” Gonzalez responded. “This is crazy.”

Wheeler, along with representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Justice, were called to testify before Department of Homeland Security subcommittees on counterterrorism, law enforcement and intelligence, as well as transportation and maritime security.

The discussion took a broader perspective, focusing on the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems – mainly known as drones – to border security and the fight against terrorism, as the use of drones are increasing.

But the topic of New Jersey’s lingering dilemma after dark kept coming to the forefront of the conversation.

Another Texas congressman, Rep. August Pfluger, who chaired the hearing, said, “The threat is real” and opened the session by saying, “Let’s start with current events.” What is happening in New Jersey?

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“The office is actively investigating the unexplained sighting of drone activity in this part of New Jersey, including near sensitive sites and areas of concern,” Wheeler responded. “We are not yet attributing this to any individual or group. I don’t have an answer as to who is responsible, one or more people responsible, but we are actively investigating.”

Wheeler said they are working with local and state authorities on the investigation and have received more than 3,000 reports of sightings from the public since creating a tip line last week allowing people to call for information. But so far they have not found a solution to the matter.

Is there a threat?

“Is the public in danger? Is public safety in danger? » asked Pfluger. “Are we concerned about nefarious intentions that could cause a real security or public safety incident? »

“There’s nothing known that would lead me to say that,” Wheeler said. “But we just don’t know. And that’s what’s worrying.”

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who represents New York’s 11th District in Staten Island and Brooklyn, said her constituents have reported drone sightings over a power plant and the Verrazano Bridge, which is near the Historic U.S. Coast Guard base Fort Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton. , a U.S. Army installation in Brooklyn.

“They are flying over sensitive infrastructure,” she said, “and the fact that we don’t know what they are, or who is behind them, or what they are doing worries me a lot, especially in a post-Chinese espionage context. -world of the ball.”

“You say there is no known threat, but is there still a possibility that there is a threat?” » continued Malliotakis. “At the end of the day, that’s what my constituents want to know.”

“That concerns me, we don’t know the answer to your question yet,” Wheeler said.

Look: Drones have been spotted in 8 New Jersey counties. Find out which cities on our interactive map

50 drones off the Jersey Shore?

Rep. Chris Smith, New Jersey’s longest-serving member of Congress, said he was on the beach Monday at Island Beach State Park with Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy.

“Two nights ago, one of his officers saw 50 drones coming in from the ocean, right there,” Smith said. “We had a number of other people there, including a coast guard commander who said one of their 47-foot lifeboats was being followed by between 12 and 30 of these drones, right behind them.”

He asked witnesses to ask investigators to call the Defense Ministry. “Let’s go get this DOD capability and find out, let’s put aside the question, who is it? We can destroy one tomorrow. They’re coming every day.”

“Sometimes I feel like I’m in the ‘Twilight Zone’ here,” Gonzalez said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Drones over New Jersey: FBI tells Congress it doesn’t know who’s behind it.