Colombia to leave 'Havana Syndrome' embassy probe to US
Issued on: 13/10/2021
New York (AFP)
Colombian President Ivan Duque said Tuesday that his government is aware of cases of so-called "Havana Syndrome" at the US Embassy in Bogota, but is leaving the investigation to Washington.
At least five US families associated with the embassy in Colombia have come down with symptoms associated with the mysterious affliction, which include headaches, nausea and possible brain damage, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"Of course we have knowledge of this situation but I want to leave it to the US authorities, who are doing their own investigation, because it is about their own personnel," Duque told reporters in New York during an official US visit in which he has also visited Washington.
The Colombia cases are only the latest of dozens of instances of "Havana Syndrome" experienced by US diplomats and intelligence officials since 2016 -- first in Cuba then in China, Germany, Australia, Taiwan and the US capital.
US President Joe Biden on Friday signed a law providing financial support for victims of the mysterious illness.
The Havana Act provides financial compensation for members of the State Department and CIA who suffer brain injury from what officials suspect may be directed microwave attacks.
The cause of the illnesses has not been fully diagnosed and the identity of the attacker, if there is one, has not been revealed.
The Cuban government investigated the matter and has repeatedly rejected US statements on the matter as disinformation.
The US Embassy in Bogota, one of the largest in the world, includes a strong contingent of agents working in both intelligence and counter-narcotics operations, in addition to career diplomats and personnel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit the country on October 20.
© 2021 AFP
Colombian President Ivan Duque delivers a speech at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington on October 11, 2021, during a three-day official visit to the United States Handout COLOMBIA PRESIDENCY/AFP/File
Issued on: 13/10/2021
New York (AFP)
Colombian President Ivan Duque said Tuesday that his government is aware of cases of so-called "Havana Syndrome" at the US Embassy in Bogota, but is leaving the investigation to Washington.
At least five US families associated with the embassy in Colombia have come down with symptoms associated with the mysterious affliction, which include headaches, nausea and possible brain damage, the Wall Street Journal reported.
"Of course we have knowledge of this situation but I want to leave it to the US authorities, who are doing their own investigation, because it is about their own personnel," Duque told reporters in New York during an official US visit in which he has also visited Washington.
The Colombia cases are only the latest of dozens of instances of "Havana Syndrome" experienced by US diplomats and intelligence officials since 2016 -- first in Cuba then in China, Germany, Australia, Taiwan and the US capital.
US President Joe Biden on Friday signed a law providing financial support for victims of the mysterious illness.
The Havana Act provides financial compensation for members of the State Department and CIA who suffer brain injury from what officials suspect may be directed microwave attacks.
The cause of the illnesses has not been fully diagnosed and the identity of the attacker, if there is one, has not been revealed.
The Cuban government investigated the matter and has repeatedly rejected US statements on the matter as disinformation.
The US Embassy in Bogota, one of the largest in the world, includes a strong contingent of agents working in both intelligence and counter-narcotics operations, in addition to career diplomats and personnel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit the country on October 20.
© 2021 AFP
Citizens reject the U.S. blockade against Cuba, Washington, U.S., July 25
Photo: Twitter
Published 8 October 2021
The U.S. State Department still cannot clarify the reasons for this syndrome, which the international scientific community describes as unbelievable.
On Friday, President Joe Biden signed a law to support U.S. officials suffering from the so-called “Havana Syndrome,” which was allegedly provoked by "sonic attacks" perpetrated against the U.S. embassy in the Cuban capital from November 2016 to February 2017.
The law authorizes the U.S. State Department and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to give more financial support to the victims of these "attacks," which have allegedly caused migraines, nausea, memory lapses, and hearing loss.
The U.S. State Department still cannot clarify the reasons for the Havana syndrome, which the international scientific community describes as unbelievable. Germany’s Dortmund University physicist Jurgen Altmann told The New York Times that he did not know of any acoustic effects that could cause concussion symptoms.
"There is no way that an acoustic device causes hearing damage using inaudible sounds. You can’t stimulate the inner ear in a way that could cause damage," Andrew Oxenham, psychologist of the Minnesota University Hearing Cognition and Perception Laboratory, also told to Buzz Feed News.
After the U.S. embassy reported the "attacks" in 2017, the Cuban government appointed a committee of police and scientific experts to investigate the case. It also authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct its investigation in Cuba with complete freedom. Both investigations concluded that there was no evidence to demonstrate any attack and that such symptoms could not be attributed to a common cause.
Despite this, U.S. President Donald Trump (2017-2021) accused the Cuban government of being responsible for the alleged attacks, which he used as a pretext to shut down consular services in Havana, reduce the presence of Cuban diplomats in Washington, and issue travel alerts to this Caribbean country.
During his electoral campaign, Biden promised to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba and remove many of the Trump's sanctions. Far from fulfilling his promise, he sanctioned Cuba’s National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and two of its leaders for containing the U.S.-backed destabilization attempts on July 11.
Published 8 October 2021
The U.S. State Department still cannot clarify the reasons for this syndrome, which the international scientific community describes as unbelievable.
On Friday, President Joe Biden signed a law to support U.S. officials suffering from the so-called “Havana Syndrome,” which was allegedly provoked by "sonic attacks" perpetrated against the U.S. embassy in the Cuban capital from November 2016 to February 2017.
The law authorizes the U.S. State Department and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to give more financial support to the victims of these "attacks," which have allegedly caused migraines, nausea, memory lapses, and hearing loss.
The U.S. State Department still cannot clarify the reasons for the Havana syndrome, which the international scientific community describes as unbelievable. Germany’s Dortmund University physicist Jurgen Altmann told The New York Times that he did not know of any acoustic effects that could cause concussion symptoms.
"There is no way that an acoustic device causes hearing damage using inaudible sounds. You can’t stimulate the inner ear in a way that could cause damage," Andrew Oxenham, psychologist of the Minnesota University Hearing Cognition and Perception Laboratory, also told to Buzz Feed News.
After the U.S. embassy reported the "attacks" in 2017, the Cuban government appointed a committee of police and scientific experts to investigate the case. It also authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct its investigation in Cuba with complete freedom. Both investigations concluded that there was no evidence to demonstrate any attack and that such symptoms could not be attributed to a common cause.
Despite this, U.S. President Donald Trump (2017-2021) accused the Cuban government of being responsible for the alleged attacks, which he used as a pretext to shut down consular services in Havana, reduce the presence of Cuban diplomats in Washington, and issue travel alerts to this Caribbean country.
During his electoral campaign, Biden promised to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba and remove many of the Trump's sanctions. Far from fulfilling his promise, he sanctioned Cuba’s National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and two of its leaders for containing the U.S.-backed destabilization attempts on July 11.
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