By Barbara A. Preston | Posted Dec. 12, 2024
Montgomery Mayor Neena Singh joined hundreds of New Jersey mayors at State Police headquarters in Ewing on Wednesday, Dec. 11, for a briefing on the mysterious drones buzzing around the night skies since mid-November.
"I have had residents reach out to me about this. One reported a drone was circling the Montgomery Township municipal building," she told The Montgomery News during a telephone interview.
About 10 residents have called Montgomery police to report suspicious drones in Montgomery Township skies. Meanwhile, more than 3K mystery drone sightings in New Jersey have been reported to the FBI.
Montgomery Mayor Neena Singh was interviewed on NBC Channel 4 News, New York. She attended a briefing on Wednesday hosted by NJ State Police Col. Patrick Callahan and Homeland Security.
"I attended the briefing, hoping there would be some answers. What I got was: Don’t worry, but we don’t know what it is. That’s not reassuring – not to me, not to my residents," Singh said.
"It is 2024, and you cannot tell me where these drones are coming from," Singh said. "How about we ground all drones from the sky for now? What are we supposed to tell our residents?
Singh related that one mayor asked whether the drones might belong to Elon Musk or Google. "They would have called us," was the response.
The drones are difficult to photograph, and sometimes difficult to identify. Is this a drone with fixed wings or an airplane with rear lighting? White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said today that many images and videos of the drones that authorities and state and local law enforcement have reviewed appear to show that many of “the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.” (Photographed in Rocky Hill by Barbara A. Preston.)
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist., Cape May/Atlantic counties, wrote on social media that the drones spotted across New Jersey could be "linked to a missing Iranian mothership."
“This is a national security crisis we cannot ignore,” Van Drew stated on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Bring them down now.”
He told a reporter on Fox News that he obtained information from "highly placed sources," though he denied to reveal the names of his informants. Van Drew, who has close ties to President Trump, also told Fox News that the “real deal” was that the “mothership” was launching the drones at the U.S. from its position anchored off the East Coast. "They should be shot down," he concluded.
The Pentagon dismissed Van Drew's claims that Iran might be launching drones over New Jersey from a "mothership" off the East Coast. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said during a press briefing on Dec. 11, "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."
Senator Andrew Zwicker D-16 Dist. added that the Pentagon has been unequivocal that the assertion that the drones are coming from an Iranian “mothership” is completely false and without merit.
"At a time when the people of New Jersey are rightfully concerned about the unexplained drone sightings that are occurring regularly, the last thing we need are wild accusations that will Increase people‘s anxiety," Zwicker told The Montgomery News. "This is the exact time when we need federal and state security officials to accelerate their work to identify the source of the drones."
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Assemblywoman Mitchelle Drulis, D-16 Dist., attended a briefing a Homeland security briefing for state lawmakers on Wednesday to discuss the recent drone sightings throughout the state.
"Our biggest concern is who is controlling these drones," she told The Montgomery News. "People want accurate, real info. [Congressman] Van Drew's comment is concerning. I don't want to say it's irresponsible, but to put out unvetted information could led to safety concerns. It's against the law to shoot down a drone. It could cause harm to have something falling from the sky."
New Jersey assembly members Drulis and Roy Freiman D-16 Dist. announced Wednesday that the federal government is sending drone-specific radar to New Jersey to investigate mysterious sightings.
“This addresses a gap in potential security vulnerabilities that must be remedied expeditiously,” Freiman said. “We are committed to working with the NJ State Police and the NJ Office of Homeland Security to address these concerns, and will keep the community informed as we learn more.”
The state-of-the-art radar system should arrive in New Jersey within the next few days, Drulis said.
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Mysterious nighttime drone flights were noticed last month near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility; and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.
The FBI is investigating. According to an nj.com article, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ said in a congressional hearing on Tuesday that an Ocean County Sheriff’s officer reported “50 drones” flying ashore from the ocean near Island Beach State Park.
Assemblywoman Drulis concluded that, while she is concerned about the lack of information coming from the FBI/Homeland Security, that, "We have to let them do their jobs and keep pressing them to give us answers and to ensure our skies are safe."
In a letter to federal officials, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker called on federal agencies to provide more information to the public.
“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,” Booker wrote.
Officials have directed the public to share tips, sightings and video of potential drone sightings.
“The FBI-Newark and the NJ State Police are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones. Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or submit it online at tips.fbi.gov. Citizens can also upload videos through the latter website,” the release said.
Suspicious drone activity is any observed behavior that could be potential threats, terrorism, or other criminal activity. Anyone who observes suspicious activity should immediately report it to local law enforcement or NJOHSP’s Counter-Threat Watch Unit at 866-4-SAFE-NJ (866-472-3365) or tips@njohsp.gov.
On online petition titled "Demand Legislation to Regulate Drones Over Residential Areas" is circulating, asking lawmakers to draft new legislation or to amend existing laws related to drone use. "Regulatory measures should be stringent to protect residents," according to the petition.
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