US intelligence agencies say Havana Syndrome may not be caused by a foreign attack

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US Embassy in Cuba

Photo: Desmond Boylan / dpa

What are the mysterious symptoms that diplomats from the United States and Canada have complained about for years?

In any case, there is one thing the US secret services do not suspect: that the health problems known as Havana Syndrome can be traced back to attacks by a hostile country.

Intelligence coordinator Avril Haines said on Wednesday that the majority of services had classified it as "highly unlikely" that an opposing state was responsible for the health problems.

The causes of the symptoms are probably rather »pre-existing conditions, common diseases and environmental factors«.

The first cases of Havana syndrome emerged from diplomats in the Cuban capital in 2016, hence the name.

Dozens of Canadian and US diplomats and their families in Havana suffered from health problems such as drowsiness, fatigue and headaches, as well as hearing and vision problems.

Later, cases were also reported from affected diplomats and intelligence officials from China, Germany, Australia, Russia, Austria and even Washington.

There has been a lot of speculation about the cause of the complaints.

It was assumed that an enemy state could have used acoustic or electrosonic weapons.

About a year ago, US experts published a report that pulsed electromagnetic energy and ultrasound emitted at close range could have caused the symptoms in question.

The US foreign intelligence service CIA had previously announced that around a thousand cases of Havana syndrome can be explained by known environmental influences or medical factors.

However, this does not apply to around two dozen cases, the report said at the time.

It cannot be ruled out that they are due to foreign attacks, even if it is not a large-scale campaign by a foreign actor like Russia.

criticism from those affected

US intelligence coordinator Haines has now presented a comprehensive report denying foreign responsibility.

Accordingly, there is "no credible evidence that a foreign adversary possesses a weapon" or any other device that triggers such symptoms.

Five of the seven services involved in the investigation classified foreign responsibility as "highly unlikely".

Another service classified them as "unlikely", a seventh service gave no verdict.

Haines and CIA chief William Burns emphasized that the results of the investigation do not call into question the suffering of those affected.

Those affected have accused the US government of a lack of clarification and a lack of transparency.

kev/AFP