Investigation proves so-called ‘Havana syndrome’ not caused by foreign country
The mysterious illness has supposedly affected US government officials though it is now claimed the illness is not related to any foreign interference.
A long-term investigation into the ‘Havana syndrome’ illness has determined that it has not been caused by a foreign attack. The illness was reported by embassy officials after they claimed to be suffering symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, hearing loss, and cognitive difficulties.
“Most IC (intelligence community) agencies have concluded that it is ‘very unlikely” a foreign adversary is responsible,” the assessment said.
The first reported cases of Havana syndrome occurred in late 2016, when several US diplomats and their family members stationed in Cuba reported experiencing symptoms such as hearing loss and dizziness. In subsequent years, similar cases were reported in China and other locations.
The U.S. State Department said the findings from an investigation concluded that it is 'very unlikely' a foreign adversary is responsible for 'Havana syndrome' and 'in no way call into question' the symptoms reported by U.S. diplomats and officers https://t.co/tXFsKUjPjq pic.twitter.com/e6Xyr5MD1i
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2023
“IC agencies assess the symptoms reported by US personnel were probably the result of factors that did not involve a foreign adversary, such as pre-existing conditions, conventional illnesses and environmental factors,” the assessment concluded.
What was the investigation looking for?
Experts had believed that the cause of the illnesses were devices set up to make US staff ill. There was “no credible evidence " that any nation has a weapon that could cause the symptoms using electromagnetic pulses, the report stated.
One elephant in the room here given how murky this has always been is whether the Trump Administration used "Havana syndrome" to rollback the opening to Cuba knowing that there wasn't evidence of the Cuban government being responsible. https://t.co/F7FaIcgHq3
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) March 1, 2023
The US government had responded to ‘Havana syndrome’ by launching the investigation into the causes and origins of the illness. In 2021, the US government created a new task force to investigate the syndrome and provide support to affected individuals which included up to $200,000 in compensation. This is all despite any proof the illness actually exists.