Fiery remarks in an editorial in North Korea’s Pyongyang Times have fueled a conspiracy theory that Washington is developing the Ebola virus.

The article titled “Ebola virus much feared as biological weapon” suggests the United States is using the deadly disease to maintain power over the West Africa, where it is predominantly spreading, and the rest of the developing world, UK daily The Independent said.

“Fears are rising after suspicions were aroused that the virus was made and spread by the U.S.,” the article read, according to NK News.

A report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) claims an aide to former U.S. President Ronald Reagan – referred to as Roberts - informed them the U.S. had invented a precursor of the Ebola virus “for the purpose of launching a biological warfare.”

According to the Washington Post, the name of the aide could be a reference to Paul Craig Roberts, an economist who recently published a blog post entitled “Is The U.S. Government The Master Criminal Of Our Time?”

The editorial also said the U.S. had given $140 million to a pharmaceutical company for research into the virus and chose Africa as a testing ground for use of the virus as a bio-weapon – with the claim being credited to an unnamed Liberian professor.