The CIA does not assume that Russia and other foreign powers are responsible for the so-called Havana syndrome of diplomats and their families. The US security service examined a thousand cases, in only 24 cases foreign interference was not excluded.
Cases of Havana syndrome have occurred in China, Vietnam, Austria, and Colombia, among other countries. It’s a mysterious condition first seen among US and Canadian diplomats in Cuba in 2016. Complaints range from dizziness, difficulty concentrating, balance disturbances, hearing loss and anxiety. Sometimes it is also a combination of complaints described as ‘brain fog’.
The reasons for the complaints are not fully explained. Reference was made, among other things, to Russia, which would cause complaints with targeted microwave weapons. Other countries such as China and Cuba have also been identified as possible suspects.
Stress and undetected medical conditions
There are entirely different theories as to why the courtship sound of crickets is to blame, or the insecticides used to kill mosquitoes.
According to the CIA, most cases can be explained by stress, previously undiagnosed medical conditions, or environmental conditions. The New York Times wrote that many victims were shocked by the results. Not enough has been done with the findings that extraneous sounds are heard in the environment or that unexplained electromagnetic radiation is measured.
Not finished yet
The CIA says the findings do not call into question “that our employees report real experiences and have real symptoms.” The CIA also does not rule out the possibility that microwave weapons deployed by other countries may be the explanation in the 24 cases whose cause has not yet been determined.
In response, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the investigation was still ongoing, and said, “We will continue to do everything we can to understand what happened, why and who might be responsible.”
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