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Commenting on the recent downing of a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean by the U.S. miliary, a prominent pro-Al-Qaeda author and a jihadi ideologue published social media posts, saying that the spy balloon was a Russian-Chinese ploy to distract the U.S. military from backing Ukraine, and criticizing Muslims who theorize about aliens and UFOs for being scientifically and religiously ignorant.
In a statement issued on February 4, 2023, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin announced that the "U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon."[1]
On February 14, a Canada-based Egyptian-born pro-Al-Qaeda ideologue posted on Telegram ridiculing Muslims who talk about "fictional" Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and alien invasions. He argued that many ignorant Muslims fall for similar fictional reports, noting that belief in such falsehoods stem from Muslims' lack of scientific and religious knowledge, as well as a "deep intellectual and psychological poverty and vacuum."
"It is clear that this is a Chinese-Russian ploy aimed at distracting the U.S. military, and perhaps the U.S. public opinion as well, so that the U.S. gives up on aiding Ukraine and devotes itself instead to confronting the 'planetary war,'" he contended.[2]
On the same day, February 14, an anonymous pro-Al-Qaeda journalist tweeted: "The deliberate lack of transparency from the White House is an insult to the American people. It seems that America is now run in the same fashion as a country from what they call the 'third world.' People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."[3]
[1] Defense.gov, February 14, 2023.
[2] Telegram, February 14, 2023.
[3] Twitter, February 14, 2023.
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