Slow motion invasion update: Drone swarms and Vance v. Raddatz
Slow motion invasion update: Drone swarms and Vance v. Raddatz
Plus two arrests of concern in North Carolina
This past week, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) dropped a disturbing article about drone swarms over U.S. military installations inside the U.S. interior.
The WSJ article describes the series of drone incursions, particularly focusing on an incident at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in December 2023. The article says that for 17 consecutive nights, a swarm of unidentified drones flew over the base and surrounding areas, including other critical national security facilities.
Key points made:
1. The drones were sophisticated, with an estimated size of 20 feet long, flying at over 100 mph and altitudes of 3,000-4,000 feet.
2. Officials were unable to determine the origin or operators of the drones, considering possibilities ranging from hobbyists to foreign adversaries like Russia or China.
3. The incident revealed significant challenges in defending against drone incursions on U.S. soil, as federal law prohibits shooting down drones near military bases unless they pose an imminent threat.
4. The event triggered high-level responses, including White House meetings and involvement from various agencies like the Defense Department, FBI, and the Pentagon's UFO office.
5. Despite extensive efforts to track and identify the drones, including the use of military aircraft and local law enforcement, officials were unable to stop or trace the origins of the drones.
The article also mentions a separate incident involving a Chinese national, Fengyun Shi, who was arrested for flying a drone near a naval shipyard in Virginia. However, this case has not been directly linked to the Langley drone swarms.
WSJ’s article concludes by noting that similar drone swarms have been spotted near other military installations, indicating there has been an ongoing and evolving security challenge.
Read the full article at WSJ: Mystery Drones Swarmed a U.S. Military Base for 17 Days. The Pentagon Is Stumped.
Following the Wall Street Journal report, the DailyMail published an article on the drone swarms that cited senior ex-Pentagon security official Chris Mellon.
Senior ex-Pentagon security official Chris Mellon told DailyMail.com that the episode was 'part of a much larger pattern affecting numerous national security installations.'
'Two of the notable aspects,' he said, 'are the fact our drone signal-jamming devices have proven ineffective and these craft are making no effort to remain concealed.'
'In fact, in some instances,' as Mellon took pains to emphasize, 'it is clear they want to be seen as though taunting us.'
Mellon also told DailyMail.com that after the Langley events a "similar series of intrusions has also occurred over Palmdale, CA."
According to DailyMail, General Mark Kelly is "stumped," and reported that the Langley incidents "lead to two weeks of emergency White House meetings."
According to what Kelly told DailyMail, the drones came from a bigger 'mother' ship, an "unidentified craft appeared to be 20-ft long and were capable of flying over 100 miles-per-hour at an altitude between 3,000 and 4,000 feet."
Shifting from illegal drones to illegal aliens, Trump running mate Sen. JD Vance tangled with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz. The topic was Tren de Aragua gang takeovers of apartment complexes and abandoned buildings around the country.
This was a “don’t believe your lyin’ eyes” moment.
Raddatz: The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes...A handful…
Vance: Do you hear yourself? Only a “handful” of apartment complexes were taken over by Venezuelan gangs? And Donald Trump is the problem and not Kamala Harris' open border?
"Don't believe your lyin' eyes" related reading:
Immigrant murder rate 'tens of thousands' higher than ICE's bombshell figures: data expert - FOX News
'Evil' super gang seizes four apartment complexes in major Texas city in new terrifying show of strength - DailyMail
Stealth Edit: FBI Quietly Revises Violent Crime Stats - Real Clear Investigations
More To The Story
Two concerning arrests of illegal aliens in North Carolina.
First, more on the "random" shooting spree that occurred several months ago in Charlotte. At least five people were shot at and one killed over a 30-minute time period along the Beatties Ford corridor.
Carlos Roberto-Diaz, now 18, has been charged with one count of first degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, four counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle, one county felony conspiracy to commit murder, and at least one count of assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill.
Roberto-Diaz had a 16-year-old accomplice who is still unnamed.
Law enforcement have not commented on the weapon used or how Roberto-Diaz obtained it.
He was a 14-year-old minor when he entered the country illegally in 2019. He was ordered to be deported in 2022, yet that didn't happen.
Roberto-Diaz has been in the Mecklenburg County jail since July 11, without bond, which is the same day he was arrested.
Here are the cases pending in Mecklenburg County for Roberto-Diaz:
Case No. 24CR356750-590
FIRST DEGREE MURDER
AWDWIKISI (assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injuries)
FELONY CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FIRST DEGREE MURDER
ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER (x4)
DISCHARGE WEAPON OCCUPIED PROP (x3)
Case No. 24CR356753-590
DISCHARGE WEAPON OCCUPIED PROP
ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER
The warrant lists all of the charges and a warrant affidavit in the case details the timeline of events. An affidavit that Roberto-Diaz has no license was also filed with the courts in the case.
There is an administrative hearing scheduled for Oct. 24 at 9:30 am at the Mecklenburg Co. Courthouse, Courtroom 5310.
On to the second case, Eleazer Kasshoggi Mujica-Rojas.
Mujica-Rojas, also known as La Fresa, is a Venezuelan national and alleged high-ranking member of the Tren de Aragua gang.
He is apparently wanted by Interpol and is accused of being involved in various serious crimes including homicide, kidnapping, terrorism, human trafficking, and drug trafficking carried out by the Venezuelan gang in the United States.
Mujica-Rojas reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2022 by swimming across the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, Texas. He was first arrested in Orlando, Florida in July 2022 on domestic violence charges, which were later dropped.
In August 2023, he made an asylum claim to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Texas, and his Employment Authorization Card was approved in February 2024. However, authorities allege that he lied to acquire this card and the criminal complaint bears that allegation out.
Mujica-Rojas is accused of evading police during a law enforcement operation against gang members in September 2023.
An arrest warrant was issued for him in December 2023 for multiple crimes, including terrorism and money laundering. Mujica-Rojas was ultimately arrested nine months later in Charlotte on Sept. 3, 2024, but records put him in the Gaston County jail.
Read the July 2024 criminal complaint against Mujica-Rojas here.
So far, the reason for his presence in North Carolina not clear, but NC is a drug and human trafficking corridor due to three major interstates weaving through it.
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