(ECNS) -- The White House said Friday it will review a series of cases involving missing or deceased researchers to determine whether any connections exist, according to U.S. media reports.
U.S. President Donald Trump said after receiving a briefing that several of the individuals involved were important figures, adding he hoped the incidents were just a coincidence. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said officials are working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to uncover the truth.
One of the cases that has drawn attention involves William "Neil" McCasland, a former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, who was reported missing in February after leaving his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Several other cases involving researchers have also been cited in media reports, contributing to public concern and online speculation about possible links.
However, officials and experts say there is currently no evidence indicating the cases are connected. Investigators have not identified signs of coordinated activity or foul play across the incidents.
Joseph Rodgers, the deputy director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CBS News that a clearer pattern would be needed to suggest any linkage. "If all of the scientists were working on one project or weapons system, then I'd be more suspicious," he said.
Scott Roecker, vice president for nuclear materials security at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, said the current war in Iran may factor into people's thinking, and that even if several scientists were targeted over a three-year period, it would have a limited impact on U.S. technological capabilities across multiple sectors.
The review comes amid heightened public attention, but authorities have emphasized that findings so far do not point to a unified cause.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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