Washington: US personnel have reported hundreds of cases of brain injuries and other symptoms worldwide as part of a so-called "Havana syndrome" that has not been linked by US intelligence agencies to any foreign adversary.
The findings made public by US intelligence officials on Wednesday cast doubt on widespread allegations that Russia or another country may be involved in a global campaign to target or harass Americans using directed energy.
According to officials, who claim they have not discovered a single explanation for most or all of the reports, most cases under investigation appear to have a variety of causes, ranging from environmental factors to unknown diseases.
Also Read: The newly elected president of Nigeria extends a hand to contesting voters
Authorities claim there is evidence that foreign nations were not involved. The US sometimes saw misunderstandings surrounding allegations and rumors that the Havana syndrome was an American conspiracy between rival governments.
Investigators found "no credible evidence" that any of the adversaries had acquired a weapon capable of causing the reported symptoms or a listening device capable of unintentionally harming people.
Government employees who have reported injuries and their supporters, including members of Congress, have pressured the Biden administration to act on cases of Havana syndrome.
The Havana Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021, offered compensation to people who suffered injuries in line with what the government refers to as "catastrophic health events."
Affected individuals experience headaches, dizziness, and other symptoms often associated with traumatic brain injuries. Because of the severity of their illnesses, some US government employees have quit their jobs.
Also Read: Belgian PM requests aid worker's release from Iranian leader
Maher Bitter, senior director for intelligence programs at the White House National Security Council, said in a statement that nothing is more important than the health and happiness of employees.
Since the inception of the Biden-Harris Administration, we've focused on making sure our co-workers get the care and support they need.
The new assessment, according to Mark Zaid, an attorney for more than two dozen people who have reported injuries, lacks transparency and left important questions unanswered.
"The purported findings are worthless until the veil of secrecy is lifted and the analysis supporting today's claims is available and subject to reasonable challenge," he said in a statement.
But the damage it has done to the souls of the victims is real and should be condemned, especially since it deflects attention from the government's failure to consider all the evidence.
The findings, according to Havana officials, support Cuba's consistent assertion: that no attack occurred. "We are not surprised," Johanna Tablada, deputy director of the American division of Cuba's foreign ministry, told The Associated Press.
Using the alleged attacks as justification, former US President Donald Trump significantly tightened sanctions against Cuba, including a partial paralysis of its consular services for more than five years.
"Very harsh measures were taken against our people in Cuba and in the United States, which harmed Cuban families, exchanges between our countries, and led to a downward spiral (of relations) that was practically irreversible, she claimed, leveling the baseless allegations.
Two officials familiar with the assessment briefed reporters on Wednesday on condition of anonymity, in accordance with guidelines established by the US Director of National Intelligence.
The investigators looked at nearly 1,500 cases in 96 countries. Many of those cases, according to officials, have been linked to causes other than an overseas mission, such as illnesses, broken air-conditioning and ventilation systems, or electromagnetic waves from unsecured gadgets such as computer mice.
Additionally, some individuals may have come forward to report symptoms as a result of what they knew about other cases or the overall media coverage of Havana syndrome, according to officials.
Officials said a core group of about two dozen cases identified in an interim assessment published last year conducted extensive research. In neither event was an enemy attack involved.
Officials stressed that seven US agencies contributed to their thorough investigation. An officer read a report from an American who claimed that he had possibly been struck by a moving vehicle.
Also Read: COVID-19 conspiracy theories have exploded after the newest origins report
According to the official, US investigators traced the car and driver and looked into his family ties and any previous international travel.
In a statement, CIA Director William Burns stated, "I want to be absolutely clear: these findings do not call into question the experiences and real health issues that US government personnel and their family members, including CIA's own officers, have reported while serving our country.
We will continue to be on the lookout for threats to the health and wellbeing of Agency officers, make sure they have access to care, and treat them with the respect and compassion they deserve.