CIA has assessed that strange cases sickening US officials around the globe are not caused by a hostile foreign power.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has released details of an initial report claiming that it is unlikely that a foreign power is behind the majority of the mysterious “Havana Syndrome” cases.
American officials, including military and intelligence officers, have reported a range of unexplained symptoms of “Havana Syndrome” such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, hearing and vision loss, memory problems, and a painful sound in their ears, likened by some to traveling fast in the car with the window down.
Personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba first reported experiencing strange symptoms in 2016. Since then, cases have been recorded in Russia, Poland, Austria, Georgia, Taiwan, Colombia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and even the UK. More than 1,000 suspected cases have been reported to the U.S. government.
There’s been rampant speculation that these symptoms may have been caused by Russia, China, or another foreign adversary using some sort of directed-energy device to surveil or intentionally harm diplomats.
The findings account for the first major update from a CIA task force established by Director Bill Burns to investigate the incidents, which in some cases have injured US officials so severely they have been forced to retire.
The new CIA finding assesses that the vast majority of reported cases can be explained by medical, environmental, or technical factors including previously undiagnosed illnesses, occupational stress, and natural causes.
They also claim that it is “unlikely” a malicious state actor inflicting purposeful harm on U.S. diplomats on a far-reaching, worldwide scale. The broader intelligence community has varying levels of confidence in that assessment.
However, a senior CIA official said the agency could not explain “a few dozen” of “the toughest cases,” which will receive further analysis. For those cases, a foreign attack or the use of an unfamiliar weapon has not been ruled out.
A senior CIA official told CNN: “This finding does not — it does not — call into question the fact that our officers are reporting real experiences and are suffering real symptoms, nor does it explain every report.”
The FBI, the Pentagon, CIA, and others are still investigating. William Burns, CIA’s director said he stands behind these new findings but emphasized that they’re preliminary.
Burns said in a statement: “While we have reached some significant interim findings, we are not done. We will continue the mission to investigate these incidents and provide access to world-class care for those who need it. While underlying causes may differ, our officers are suffering real symptoms. Our commitment to care is unwavering.”
Groups representing victims of the illness said they were disappointed by the report’s initial conclusions. Advocacy for Victims of Havana Syndrome group said: “Not all the cases can be explained away. This cannot and must not be the last word on this matter, because it is neither definitive nor comprehensive.”
The victims also urged the House and Senate intelligence committees, which have jurisdiction over the CIA, to aggressively audit the CIA report and the circumstances surrounding its release.
This isn’t the first time similar symptoms have been reported by diplomats and other overseas personnel. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, diplomats and intelligence officers serving in Moscow experienced symptoms similar to those alleged to be the result of Havana Syndrome.
There were reports at the time that Soviet intelligence agencies were beaming microwave radiation at the residences of American diplomats to power covert listening devices, or perhaps in an attempt to jam American sensors.