FBI remains silent on drone sighting of unknown origin in New Jersey

The case of drones spotted flying over New Jersey has escalated to a federal matter. In response to the alarm generated by the sighting, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the FBI have been compelled to step in and initiate an investigation into the incident.

Given the rumors that the drones, whose size did not match that of typical amateur-piloted devices, might have been of foreign origin, authorities have, for now, ruled out the possibility that a non-U.S. entity was behind the incident.

The FBI has made little comment regarding the sighting, but has urged citizens to report any further drone sightings.

It was the Department of Defense (DOD) that took the lead in providing clarification, assuring the public that the drones were not operated by foreign entities or adversarial nations, such as Iran.

"There is no evidence that this came from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary," Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, according to remarks reported by NewsNation.

Murphy: FBI "has authority" to bring them down

Although these events have sparked widespread concern among residents and drawn the attention of federal authorities, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sought to reassure the public, stating that there is no threat to national security.

"I want people out there to know .... listen, they're frustrated. So are we. But...we're going to stay on it, I promise you, it's our top priority. But based on everything we know, we don't see any evidence of public safety risk. And clearly, that's what it's largely based on information from the feds. If that changes, we'll shout it from the mountaintop," Murphy said in an interview with Fox News.

To further reassure the public, Governor Murphy highlighted the FBI's authority to shoot down drones and urged the agency to take a more active role in the investigation. "The feds have that authority, and I would like to see them play a bigger role. I wouldn't be opposed to it. Let me put it that way," he said.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker (Democratic Party) sent a letter to the FBI and the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security demanding "transparency" in the statements and findings as the investigation progresses.

The Pentagon has the resources "to monitor these drones"

The Pentagon's decision to investigate the drone sightings came in response to a request from several New Jersey state congressmen urging the department to take action.

Jon Bramnick, a GOP state senator, responded, in an interview on Fox News, that "the DOD has the technology to monitor these drones." His remarks came before he called on the Pentagon to get involved in the investigation.