The Mysterious Havana Syndrome

Upon assuming the role of CIA Director in March 2021, Bill Burns pledged to conduct an inquiry into an enigmatic ailment commonly referred to as Havana syndrome, affecting an increasing number of military personnel, intelligence operatives, and diplomats, who reported sudden and incapacitating symptoms such as severe headaches, impaired balance, and diminished cognitive abilities. Amid the Trump administration’s management of the phenomenon, many afflicted individuals felt marginalized, disbelieved, and inadequately shielded. They anticipated that Burns would address the matter as a legitimate health concern and, optimistically, uncover the underlying causes, which some strongly suspect to be linked to a novel weapon purportedly employed by Russian operatives worldwide.

However, three years later, a segment of these individuals and their advocates express profound frustration with the CIA, as the agency continues to assert that the peculiar illnesses are improbable results of foreign interference. This stance has elicited feelings of betrayal among certain victims, including those enduring severe injuries.

What is the Havana Syndrome?

Havana syndrome, also referred to as “anomalous health incidents,” presents a contested medical phenomenon predominantly documented by U.S. diplomatic, intelligence, and military personnel stationed abroad. Symptoms reported encompass a spectrum of severity, spanning from ear pain and ringing to cognitive impairments. Initial reports emerged from U.S. and Canadian embassy staff in Havana, Cuba, with earlier potential incidents noted in Frankfurt, Germany. From 2016 to 2021, numerous instances were reported by several hundred U.S. intelligence and military personnel and their families across various international locales, including China, India, Europe, Hanoi, and Washington, D.C., USA.

In 2019 and 2020, some representatives of the U.S. government attributed these incidents to assaults by unidentified foreign entities. Diverse U.S. officials attributed the reported symptoms to an array of unidentified and undisclosed technologies, including ultrasound or microwave weaponry. Despite efforts, U.S. intelligence agencies could not ascertain the definitive cause of these symptoms; however, suspicions were voiced in the press by U.S. intelligence and government figures implicating Russian military intelligence.

Commencing in 2022, several significant studies were released, none of which substantiated the conditions reported as originating from hostile actions. Some studies pointed to potential psychogenic and other explanations, such as environmental factors or pre-existing medical conditions. In January 2022, the Central Intelligence Agency issued an interim evaluation, concluding that the syndrome does not stem from “a sustained global campaign by a hostile power,” with foreign involvement dismissed in 976 out of 1,000 reviewed cases.

The Havana Syndrome — Is the Government Hiding Something?

Transparency within our government is often elusive, particularly concerning matters such as the Havana syndrome. These symptoms have transcended geographical boundaries, manifesting even in locations as close to home as Northern Virginia. Despite reassurances from the U.S. government asserting the absence of foul play, exclusive reports from Salon a year ago, and more recently on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” suggest otherwise. There are indications that the series of health concerns labeled as “Anomalous Health Incidents” (AHI) may be of artificial origin, potentially linked to Russian involvement.

Last year, Mark Zaid, a leading attorney specializing in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, filed a FOIA petition on behalf of a federal government whistleblower and myself to obtain further insights into the Havana syndrome. Zaid and the whistleblower harbor suspicions that the government possesses knowledge of the syndrome’s cause but is engaged in concealing it. Nonetheless, reputable sources suggest it is improbable that the U.S. government itself is responsible for instigating the Havana syndrome.

Since August 2017, accounts have emerged detailing unusual and inexplicable health issues experienced by American and Canadian diplomatic personnel in Cuba, dating back to late 2016. By June 2018, the number of affected American citizens had reached 26.

The initial 21 incidents in Cuba were characterized by peculiar grating noises originating from specific directions. Some individuals reported sensations akin to pressure, vibration, or the feeling of driving a car with a partially rolled-down window. These occurrences lasted from 20 seconds to 30 minutes and typically transpired while diplomats were either at home or in hotel accommodations. Notably, individuals in close proximity, including family members and adjacent guests, did not report similar symptoms.

The health ramifications for some U.S. embassy personnel have been enduring, with one diplomat necessitating a hearing aid. In 2017, the U.S. State Department concluded that these health issues were either the consequence of an attack or exposure to an unidentified device. However, the department refrained from attributing blame to the Cuban government and declined to identify any responsible party. Afflicted individuals described symptoms such as hearing and memory loss, as well as nausea. Speculation surrounding a sonic weapon arose, with certain researchers suggesting infrasound as a potential causative factor. In response, the United States expelled two Cuban diplomats in August 2017, perceiving Cuban involvement. Subsequently, the U.S. State Department announced the removal of non-essential staff from the U.S. embassy and cautioned against travel to Cuba. President Donald Trump, in October 2017, publicly asserted Cuba’s responsibility, characterizing the incidents as a “very unusual attack.”

One place where reports of the sickness have surfaced is the Hotel Nacional in Havana.

Regarding Canadian diplomats, in March 2018, some traveled to Pittsburgh for consultations with a neurologist who had previously diagnosed brain issues in U.S. counterparts. The neurologist observed brain damage in MRIs of the Canadians akin to that of their American counterparts. In early 2018, Global Affairs Canada halted family postings to Cuba and withdrew all staff with families. Several affected Canadians remained unable to resume work due to the severity of their conditions. However, the lack of clarity regarding the cause of Havana syndrome as of February 2019 impeded the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s investigation.

Despite public allegations, the Cuban government denied involvement or knowledge of the health issues affecting diplomats. Cuba offered cooperation in investigating the incidents, deploying scientific and law enforcement personnel for examinations and analyses. Nonetheless, the FBI and Cuban authorities encountered obstacles in information sharing and access to diplomatic residences. In 2021, a panel of scientists convened by the Cuban government refuted the microwave hypothesis and dismissed the notion of a scientifically plausible “mysterious syndrome.”

Following the release of a March 2023 U.S. intelligence report, which discounted the involvement of U.S. adversaries, Cuba’s Vice Foreign Minister criticized the leveraging of Havana syndrome to disrupt bilateral relations. Cuba has long refuted allegations of foreign attack involvement and, in 2021, its top scientists found no substantiating evidence.

The NIH’s investigation into the enigmatic illness has exacerbated tensions among affected individuals, with some asserting that the CIA compelled their participation in the study as a precondition for receiving care at Walter Reed.

Polymeropoulos expressed dismay, labeling the requirement as “unethical and immoral,” and suggesting that it was mandated by senior CIA officials. In response to these allegations, the NIH informed CNN that its Institutional Review Board, tasked with ensuring the ethical conduct of studies, is actively probing the claims. The NIH emphasized its earnest consideration of the allegations and its commitment to establishing their veracity.

Did the Havana Syndrome Originate in Russia?

The pervasive nature of the issue has spurred congressional inquiries, legal actions, and fervent advocacy campaigns throughout Washington. Incidents of peculiar episodes affecting U.S. officials have been documented in various locations, including China, Russia, Austria, and in close proximity to the White House in Washington, D.C. Even within the ranks of CIA Director Burns’ own staff, individuals have been affected, notably during official travels such as the incident in India in 2021. The severity of symptoms reported by some officials has been profound, leading to forced retirements.

In response to mounting pressure from affected individuals, Congress enacted legislation in 2021 mandating that agencies provide compensated care for those suffering from the syndrome. Certain legislators, exemplified by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, have prioritized addressing this issue. Greg Edgreen, the former defense official who publicly asserted on “60 Minutes” that Russia is culpable for the phenomenon, has established his own company with the explicit aim of securing government contracts to offer additional support for victims. Despite investing his retirement savings into the venture, Edgreen has yet to secure a contract, persisting in his public contention that Russia is responsible.

The Embassy of the USA in Cuba. The employees here first complained about it

He remarked, “I can tell you at an early stage I started looking at Moscow,” expressing his belief that there has been a lapse in the intelligence community’s approach to assessing the situation. The Senate and House Intelligence Committees are actively conducting investigations, scrutinizing the intelligence community’s efforts on the matter and soliciting testimony from victims while exploring potential leads.

Nevertheless, the enigma persists. Some experts posit that the injuries may stem from a directed energy attack. Government agencies, including the National Labs and DARPA, have endeavored to replicate a weapon capable of inflicting similar harm, yet the considerable power requirements have posed a challenge in miniaturizing the power source for portability. One individual familiar with the Senate Intelligence Committee’s endeavors noted confidence in the intelligence community’s diligence, acknowledging the empathetic stance toward victims. However, they indicated a divergence in expectations between the victim community and the committee’s findings.

The CIA maintains its focus on the issue, asserting its commitment to following the evidence wherever it leads. Nonetheless, the official stance persists: available evidence does not support the involvement of U.S. adversaries in causing the reported incidents.

Havana Syndrome and Moscow Signal — Striking Similarities

The term “Moscow Signal” was coined by United States intelligence officials to describe the low-power signals detected within the embassy premises. These microwave transmissions emitted an irradiance of merely 5 μW/cm2, a minute fraction of the maximum permissible leakage from a household microwave oven, yet they surpassed the Soviet Union’s exposure standards by a factor of one hundred, prompting apprehension among U.S. officials.

Originating from a source approximately 100 meters east of the embassy’s 10-floor structure, the microwave beams were targeted at the eastern facade, with peak intensities observed between the third and eighth floors.

Detection of the microwaves dates back to routine background radiation assessments in 1953, initially attributed to suspected Soviet activities. Eleven years later, measures were implemented to shield against the microwave emissions. Subsequent monitoring revealed an escalation in beam intensity in 1975, yet this revelation was not disclosed to the public or many embassy personnel until February 1976.

One plausible rationale for the Soviet Union’s directed microwave transmissions at the U.S. Embassy was their activation of an eavesdropping device concealed within a Soviet gift. The disclosure of this device occurred in May 1960, during a United Nations Security Council meeting called by the Soviet Union following the U-2 incident. U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. unveiled the bugging device embedded in the Great Seal to underscore the mutual espionage between the two nations.

Alternative hypotheses include electronic interference and the speculative notion that the technology was deployed to influence the health, cognition, or behavior of American embassy personnel, although this remains unsubstantiated.

But could the Havana Syndrome be an extended part of the Moscow Signal? What connection, if any, does this Cold War artifact hold to the modern-day enigma haunting American diplomats across continents? Could the echoes of the Moscow Signal, once dismissed as relics of a bygone era, resurface in the form of the perplexing symptoms afflicting embassy personnel from Havana to Washington, D.C.?

In the realm of speculation, theories abound, each offering a tantalizing glimpse into the potential links between past and present. Some experts suggest a sinister evolution of the once-innocuous microwave emissions, positing them as potential weapons wielded against unsuspecting targets. Could it be that the Moscow Signal, once dismissed as a relic of Cold War intrigue, has resurfaced in a new guise, casting its shadow over the diplomatic landscape once more? The DARPA Pandora scientific committee, as documented in minutes from a May 12, 1969, meeting, deliberated plans involving the exposure of eight human subjects to the infamous Moscow Signal. The proposed experiment entailed subjecting these individuals to the signal’s microwave emissions, followed by a comprehensive battery of medical and psychological assessments. Notably, the committee recommended protective measures for male test subjects, emphasizing “gonadal protection.” Despite these deliberations, the pursuit of human testing was ultimately abandoned. The program met its demise in 1969, with the perceived effects of the signal on behavior and biological functions deemed too subtle or insignificant to warrant further exploration.

In the aftermath of heightened microwave radiation levels detected in 1976, the U.S. Department of State initiated a comprehensive study led by Abraham Lilienfeld, in collaboration with the Department of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. The objective was to compare the health outcomes of Moscow embassy personnel and their families with those associated with other U.S. embassies in Eastern Europe. Despite its unpublished status, the 1978 report concluded that there were no discernible adverse health effects among the Moscow embassy cohort.

However, a Spanish study in 2019, drawing from the 1978 report along with declassified information and new statistical analyses, presented contrasting findings. It revealed that Moscow embassy employees in 1976 exhibited a higher cancer mortality rate compared to the general population and demonstrated a poorer health status than their counterparts across Europe’s embassies. The story  takes a turn with accounts of Ambassador Walter Stoessel’s illness in 1975, marked by distressing symptoms including ocular bleeding, culminating in his untimely demise from leukemia. In a revealing 1975 phone call, U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger reportedly linked Stoessel’s illness to the microwaves, expressing a desire to conceal the matter. Subsequent instances of cancer-related deaths among ambassadors and embassy personnel further fueled speculation. However, despite these alarming anecdotes, scientific consensus has yet to establish a plausible link between non-ionizing radiation and heightened cancer risk.

Some places where the symptoms have been reported

Speaking on background, a Department of Defense official conveyed grave concerns regarding the potential implications of the Havana syndrome. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, emphasized the hypothetical magnitude of the situation, highlighting the unsettling prospect of adversaries wielding handheld microwave or radio devices capable of inducing such debilitating symptoms. The implication of such technology, if indeed manmade, raises alarming questions about the safety and security of personnel working overseas. Furthermore, the official underscored the alarming notion that if the syndrome is indeed the result of human intervention, particularly within the United States, it could be construed as an act of war.

Regarding measures to address this potential threat, the official indicated that the government is either in possession of or actively developing methods to detect energy weapons, should they exist. While refraining from speculating on the origin of the Havana syndrome, the official acknowledged the chilling implications if it were indeed the result of intentional human intervention. The prospect of an untraceable weapon capable of inflicting permanent disability or death from a distance is a matter of grave concern, demanding urgent attention and decisive action.

The Havana Syndrome is a matter that the U.S. government is approaching with utmost gravity, despite the challenges encountered in providing the public with definitive answers.

Next, read about the Illegal Invasion of Iran in WW2. Then, about the Destruction of Democracy in Iran by the US and UK For Oil.