U.S. intel finds 'Havana syndrome' not caused by foe
STORY: Declassified findings released on Wednesday of an extensive U.S. intelligence community investigation that spanned the entire globe concluded it was "very unlikely" that a foreign adversary was responsible for "Havana syndrome," the mysterious ailment that has afflicted U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers worldwide.
"Havana syndrome" symptoms, which were first reported among U.S. officials in the Cuban capital in 2016, have included migraines, nausea, memory lapses and dizziness.
"The book is never fully closed."
At a State Department briefing on Wednesday, spokesman Ned Price said the intelligence assessment did not put those symptoms in doubt.
"The findings that the intelligence community has spoken to today in no way call into question the experiences, the symptoms that our colleagues and their family members have reported in recent years."
About 1,500 cases have been reported by U.S. government agencies and departments, including some from this year.
But Price said that "Havana syndrome" cases were on the decline.
"What I can tell you is that the number of reported cases of anomalous health incidents have declined fairly precipitously since 2021. There was a decline between 2021 and 2022. And so far this year there has been a decline between those cases that were reported as of this date last year and as of this date this year."
Seven of the 18 U.S intelligence agencies conducted the more than two-year investigation in more than 90 countries, including the United States, and found "no credible evidence" that any American adversary possessed "a weapon or collection device," including an emitter of electromagnetic energy pulses, that could cause the symptoms.
A U.S. intelligence official said the agencies even considered the possibility that extraterrestrials were responsible, but later ruled that out.
