The causes behind a mysterious brain disease plaguing US spies and diplomats have finally been revealed in a report. The House intelligence committee is warning about the notorious Havana syndrome, releasing a declassified report which states “it appears increasingly likely… a foreign adversary” could be behind some of the cases. The disease has baffled health experts since it was first reported in 2016, with more than 1,500 US officials dotted around the world falling foul of its grim symptoms including dizziness, nausea and balance issues.
The syndrome previously had no explanation, but now a subcommittee chaired by Arkansas representative Rick Crawford, suggests US intelligence networks in Cuba might have been compromised by foreign spies in “adversary” countries like China and Russia.
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(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Chilling reasons like exposure to radiation, chemical agents and electromagnetic energy have all been blamed for the condition. Some experts have also suggested symptoms may be psychosomatic.
The new report also criticised the US intelligence community for “thwarting” attempts to investigate the phenomenon, accusing the FBI and CIA of failing to look into their agents’ symptoms properly.
“Because of this lack of cooperation and the Subcommittee’s inability to access specific information, the Subcommittee concludes there must be something IC [intelligence community] leadership has sought to prevent Congress from discovering,” the report says.
(Image: Getty Images)
The illness was dubbed Havana syndrome after numerous government personnel stationed at the US embassy in Havana, Cuba, reported symptoms. Since then symptoms have been reported in the US, Colombia, China, Russia, Georgia, Austria, India, Germany and India, the Daily Mail reports.
The alarming illness is reminiscent of the Cold War between Western allies and the Eastern bloc between 1947 and 1991. The espionage-led conflict often brought with it a fear of nuclear warfare and World War Three breaking out, with spies from both sides seeking to gain the upper hand over their enemies.
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