謎のドローン、米当局「対応中」 不安払しょくに努める

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】米北東部上空で正体不明のドローンが相次いで目撃されている問題で、国土安全保障省のアレハンドロ・マヨルカス長官は１５日、当局が「対応中」であり、安全保障上の脅威はないと述べ、市民の不安払しょくに努めた。（写真は米国土安全保障省のアレハンドロ・マヨルカス長官）
　米国のＳＮＳでは最近、謎のドローンを捉えた動画が話題となっている。目撃情報はニューヨーク州やニュージャージー州、メリーランド州、バージニア州などで報告されている。
　ＡＢＣテレビの「ディス・ウイーク」でこの問題について語ったマヨルカス長官は、「目撃情報の一部は本当にドローンだし、一部はドローンと誤認されることの多い有人航空機だ」とした上で、「しかし、ドローンが目撃されていることは間違いない」と述べた。全米のドローン登録件数は１００万件を超えるという。
　さらに「米国民に安心してもらいたい。この問題には対応中だ」「外国の関与や犯罪活動が確認された場合、米国民に公表する。現時点ではそのような情報はない」と述べた。
　ドローンの正体が特定されていないことで、ジョー・バイデン政権に対する批判は民主党内からも高まっている。
　上院の民主党トップ、チャック・シューマー院内総務は１５日、国土安全保障省長官宛ての書簡で、従来のレーダーではドローンのような小さな物体を検出するのは難しいとし、ニューヨークとニュージャージー州に特殊なドローン検出装置を即時配備するよう要請。さらに連邦、州、地方当局が連携し、重要施設や大規模な集会を脅かすドローンを検知し、必要ならば「撃ち落とす」ことを明確に許可する法律の制定を求めた。
　また下院情報委員会の民主党トップ、ジム・ハイムズ議員はＦＯＸニュースの日曜番組で「人々は不安になると、その空白を恐怖や陰謀論で埋めようとする」と述べ、米連邦航空局（ＦＡＡ）に公開説明会を実施するよう求めた。
　ドナルド・トランプ次期大統領も１３日、ＳＮＳへの投稿で連邦当局に対し、ドローンの出どころを明確に特定し「今すぐ国民に知らせろ。さもなければ撃ち落とせ！！！」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/16-18:33）

A top US official sought to quell growing concern Sunday over reported drone sightings in the country's northeast, reiterating there was no known security threat as authorities monitor the situation.
President Joe Biden's administration has faced mounting criticism for not clearly identifying origins of the objects seen hovering over parts of New York and New Jersey.
The criticism has come even from Biden's own party, with top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer calling Sunday for action to make it easier for federal, state and local authorities to work together to detect and if need be bring down any drone seen to pose a threat.
Video footage of mysterious airborne phenomena recently has clogged social media, with spottings also reported in Maryland and Virginia.
Some of those drone sightings are, in fact, drones. Some are manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday on ABC's This Week program.
But there's no question that drones are being sighted, he said, noting there are more than one million registered across the United States.
I want to assure the American public that we are on it, he said.
If we identify any foreign involvement or criminal activity, we will communicate with the American public accordingly. Right now, we are not aware of any.
Even as Mayorkas sought to reassure the public, Boston police announced Sunday that two Massachusetts men had been arrested the previous night for allegedly conducting a hazardous drone operation near the city's Logan International Airport.
State police were conducting a search for a third suspect, who authorities said fled the scene.
- 'We need more' -
Schumer, in a letter to Mayorkas Sunday, urged the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy special drone-detection technology across New York and New Jersey, since traditional radar struggles to detect such small objects.
He also called for passage of legislation to explicitly authorize state and local law enforcement to work with federal agencies to detect and bring down drones that threaten critical facilities or mass gatherings.
Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, meanwhile expressed frustration at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over its communications around the issue.
The answer 'we don't know' is not a good enough answer, he told Fox News Sunday.
When people are anxious... people will fill a vacuum with, you know, their fears and anxieties and conspiracy theories, he said, calling for the FAA to hold public briefings.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby had previously said the aircraft could be lawfully operated planes or helicopters mistaken for drones.
While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authorities, he said Thursday, calling for Congress to pass new legislation to extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Sunday that authorities had agreed to send a drone detection system to her state.
I am grateful for the support, but we need more. Congress must pass a law that will give us the power to deal directly with the drones, she said on X.
On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump urged federal authorities to clearly identify the drones' origins.
Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! he posted on social media.
As the price of drones has fallen -- small quadcopter models with Wi-Fi camera capability can be purchased for as little as $40 -- their numbers and popularity have soared, making their presence in American skies a greater concern.