US investigates mysterious “Havana Syndrome” against officials

WASHINGTON Malaise, confusion, insomnia. The US government is investigating the so-called “sound attacks” against its officials, also known as “Havana syndrome”, to be where they were first detected.

“For nearly five years, we have been informed of mysterious attacks against US government officials in Havana, Cuba, as well as around the world.”Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Democrat Marl Warner and his deputy Republican Marco Rubio said during the revelation of an investigation into the mysterious phenomenon.

“These types of attacks against fellow citizens who work for the government seem to be on the increase,” they added, implicitly confirming the CNN news network’s revelations about two attacks on American soil.

As CNN revealed, the government is specifically investigating an incident in November when a National Security Council official suddenly felt ill while walking through a park near the White House. In 2019, a White House worker suffered similar discomfort while walking her dog in suburban Washington.

The Pentagon, the CIA and the FBI declined to comment on these incidents and the investigations opened since then. But according to CNN, which does not identify its sources, These cases are considered possible acoustic attacks of the type that left consulate employees in Cuba sickened between 2016 and 2018.There have also been reports of cases believed to have occurred in Beijing.

The diplomats assigned to Havana, as well as their families, suffered from various ailments at the time: dizziness, problems with balance and coordination, eye movements, anxiety, irritability and what victims have referred to as “cognitive fog”. These symptoms, referred to as “Havana syndrome”, led Washington to withdraw most of its diplomatic personnel from Cuba in 2017.

According to a report from the American Academy of Sciences, “directed radio wave energy” is the most likely cause of these symptoms. Warner and Rubio promised in their statement to “shed light” on these attacks.

The report says it considers chemical exposures, infectious diseases and psychological problems as potential causes or aggravating factors of injuries, but the overall analysis seems to show that they are not the likely cause.

“We have already had briefings on these debilitating attacks, many of which have resulted in confirmed cases of head trauma,” lawmakers noted, and they welcomed the commitment of CIA Director William Burns to reactivate investigations into the weapons used in these attacks. “We will eventually identify those responsible for these attacks on American citizens and hold them accountable.”

Agencia AFP

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