This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A U.S. congressman dropped a bombshell Wednesday concerning the source of mystery drones flying over New Jersey, saying they're being launched from an Iranian "mother ship" off the eastern seaboard of the United States, a claim being denied by the Pentagon.
"From very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources, I'm gonna tell you the real deal," said U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J.
"Iran launched a mother ship probably about a month ago that contains these drones. That mother ship is off … the east coast of the United States of America. They've launched drones is everything that we can see or hear and again these are from high sources. I don't say this lightly."
Van Drew, a member of House Judiciary Committee, told Harris Faulkner of Fox News: "Iran made a deal with China to purchase drones, mother ships and technology in order to go forward. The sources I have are good. They can't reveal who they are because they are speaking to me in confidentiality.
"These drones should be shot down whether it was some crazy hobbyist that we can't imagine or whether it is Iran. I think it very possibly could be. They should be shot down. We are not getting the full deal and the military is on alert with this."
Realizing the gravity of Van Drew's statement, Faulkner responded:
"Look, you've given us some pretty dire information just here. And I want to make sure that our viewers are digesting this. Iran has the capability to pull up along our eastern seaboard and launch drones the size of an S.U.V. into the skies of several states, particularly New Jersey, where we know the incoming president has a large home. Also in the same county or nearby where some of these drones in New Jersey have been seen.
"That capability exists. It's possible some of those drones are here. So I have two questions. How are they fueling them? They have to land somewhere, drones don't fly forever. Why don't they close down the airspace? Yes it's inconvenient, yes, it's the holidays. Shut it down! But if you start shooting things and you don't know how they are fueled, that's gonna be mass explosions. This isn't like one spy balloon. Congressman, this is serious!"
Van Drew replied: "We've got to bring them down and we've got to find a way to bring them down. I don't know exactly where they are landing, obviously.
"I have some information and again, this isn't just Jeff Van Drew, oh let's get on Harris Faulkner's show and say something outrageous. I'm telling you the straight deal from very high-positioned individuals who are telling me this.
"And the bottom line is they're launching 'em. They are across the country. We don't even have anything like this. Our government and also certainly our hobbyists don't. So think about it. Not only do I have the information, but it's also common sense."
"We've got to get them down, we've got to determine how they function, what they do, make sure that we can get them and, you are right, in a safe way," Van Drew continued.
"When I say shoot them down, get them down any way that you can, but right now they are probably extracting information. This is a clear and present danger to the United States and to our president-elect and it's a serious business."
The U.S. military was asked about Van Drew's claim at a briefing Wednesday afternoon, and completely denied it.
"There is not any truth to that," said Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary for the Pentagon.
"There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there's no so-called 'mother ship' launching drones towards the United States."
