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Modern Mysteries

CIA report suggests 'Havana Syndrome' is not what it seems

By T.K. Randall
January 21, 2022 · Comment icon 26 comments

The symptoms were first reported in Cuba. Image Credit: U.S. Department of State
The CIA has played down the idea that the phenomenon is due to attacks by a hostile foreign power.
The mysterious condition, which causes a range of symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and nausea, is named after a spate of such incidents which began in Havana, Cuba back in 2016.

At the time, it was believed that US diplomats were being targeted by some sort of directed energy weapon by unknown foreign agents with the goal of disrupting diplomatic ties with the country.

Since then, similar symptoms have been experienced by dozens of US personnel in multiple different countries, prompting an ongoing investigation into the phenomenon.

While it had seemed as though somebody must have been deliberately targeting the victims, the latest findings suggest instead that it is unlikely that any hostile foreign power was involved.
Investigators were unable to completely rule it out, but in most cases - of which there have been hundreds - alternative conventional explanations were deemed to be more plausible.

Understandably, those impacted by the phenomenon have been somewhat disappointed by the news.

"The CIA's newly issued report may be labeled 'interim' and it may leave open the door for some alternative explanation in some cases, but to scores of dedicated public servants, their families, and their colleagues, it has a ring of finality and repudiation," one support group said in a statement.

"We have reason to believe the interim report does not even represent the consensus of the full CIA, instead reflecting the views of a subset of officials most interested in resolution and closure."

As things stand, it doesn't seem as though the phenomenon will be sufficiently explained to everyone's satisfaction anytime soon.

Even if most of the cases do have conventional explanations, if even some of them are down to a genuine foreign attack, then it means that someone must be responsible for them.

Source: NBC News | Comments (26)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #17 Posted by Socio 3 years ago
It primarily happens to American diplomats & officials, it happens all over the world, and I remember reading a while back that if it is a weapon it is almost certainly a close proximity weapon. So if it is not a foreign advisory with the ability to be in close contact with American officials like a florigen diplomat, who else might be able to be in constant close proximity to American officials abroad? CIA operatives perhaps?  
Comment icon #18 Posted by stereologist 3 years ago
If you read the reports you see that these people are often not by others such as in their hotel rooms, at home, or in the office. That seems to preclude a "close proximity weapon". Besides there does not appear to be anything due to a weapon.
Comment icon #19 Posted by Eldorado 3 years ago
Intelligence experts believe around 1,000 US diplomats and intelligence officers hit by a mysterious illness known as Havana Syndrome could have been targeted by electromagnetic energy pulses. MSN
Comment icon #20 Posted by stereologist 3 years ago
Oh brother. The headline mentions thousands but the report is really about 20 cases. https://news.yahoo.com/microwaves-ultrasound-might-explain-open-233608949.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall Oh brother. Talk about dragging this out.  
Comment icon #21 Posted by stereologist 3 years ago
This reminds me of sick building syndrome. Anyone remember that issue? People claimed the office paper used by millions made them sick. It was replaced with special paper. Then they continued to be sick and the toner also used worldwide by tens of millions made them sick. New toner and they were still sick. Special air filters and on and on and on till the building went vacant. Later occupants reported nothing. It is possible for some chemical contaminants to be in buildings. It is possible for ventilation systems to spread some diseases such as norovirus or some molds. But many of he cases tu... [More]
Comment icon #22 Posted by Golden Duck 3 years ago
Human Resonant Frequency Injury? How would you go about detecting it?
Comment icon #23 Posted by stereologist 3 years ago
If you collect a pile of data you will find patterns in it. It doesn't mean that the patterns are meaningful. In science t might mean not publishing this data but using this data to suggest an experiment to find out something new. In this syndrome enough data was collected to make a large enough pile of data to find a  pattern. But checks show that the patterns were  not meaningful. They reduced this data time and again until there was a nugget of something to talk about. They get these few people and then decide a weapon was involved. Weird right?
Comment icon #24 Posted by Davros of Skaro 3 years ago
I wonder what Fran has to say about it?  
Comment icon #25 Posted by stereologist 3 years ago
Davros of Skaro, I listened to the video by Fran and she makes a number of statements that I have not seen in the literature such as people talking about hearing crackling sounds inside of their heads. She suggests an idea of a number of beams that are focused onto a single spot. Yet, these people have reported incidents inside of rooms in hotels and private residences.  The beams she is talking about do not pass through walls well until she changes mid video to switch from microwaves to radio waves. She also spends quite a bit of time on the idea of zapping someone while sleeping. This seems... [More]
Comment icon #26 Posted by Alchopwn 3 years ago
This is interesting.  Are we then to suppose that there is some form of machinery in operation in US embassies that is causing the Havana Syndrone?  Personally I thought it might be infrasound, which has been the diagnosed cause of most cases of sick building syndrome.


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