Havana Syndrome
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MedCare’s Fit2Fly COVID-19 Monday May 24, 2021 Testing Center T: 582-7800 www.arubatoday.com Newest Location facebook.com/arubatoday on Palm Beach! instagram.com/arubatoday Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper Page 8 Growing mystery of suspected energy attacks HAVANA draws U.S. concern SYNDROME By N. MERCHANT, ROBERT been behind any attacks, if BURNS and ERIC TUCKER the symptoms could have Associated Press been caused inadvertently WASHINGTON (AP) — The by surveillance equipment Biden administration is fac- — or if the incidents were ing new pressure to resolve actually attacks. a mystery that has vexed its Whatever an official review predecessors: Is an adver- concludes could have sary using a microwave or enormous consequences. radio wave weapon to at- Confirmation that a U.S. tack the brains of U.S. dip- adversary has been con- lomats, spies and military ducting damaging at- personnel? The number of tacks against U.S. person- reported cases of possible nel would unleash calls for In this Oct. 3, 2017, file photo, tourists ride classic convertible cars on the Malecon beside the attack is sharply growing a forceful response by the United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba. and lawmakers from both United States. Associated Press parties, as well as those be- For now, the administration cal care. in Cuba. At least 130 cases not authorized to discuss lieved to be affected, are is providing assurances that The problem has been la- across the government are details publicly. The Nation- demanding answers. But it takes the matter seriously, beled the “Havana Syn- now under investigation, al Security Council is lead- scientists and government is investigating aggressively drome,” because the first up from several dozen last ing the investigation. officials aren’t yet certain and will make sure those cases affected personnel year, according to a U.S. about who might have affected have good medi- in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy defense official who was Continued on Page 2 A2 MONDAY 24 MAY 2021 UP FRONT Growing mystery of suspected energy attacks draws U.S. concern Continued from Front who described how, while this year. He has met with nications, and systemic dis- “It’s very difficult, if not im- serving in a country Miller those reporting injuries as organization” in respond- possible, to fake or misrep- People who are believed to wouldn’t identify, he had have other top CIA officials. ing to the Havana cases. resent certain findings to have been affected have heard a “shrieking” sound The agency has worked to The report says the cause objective clinical evalu- reported headaches, dizzi- and then had a splitting reduce the wait time for its of the injuries was “currently ations,” Giordano said. “I ness and symptoms consis- mean, there are certain tent with concussions, with things you can’t make your some requiring months of nerves do or not do.” medical treatment. Some Other scientists remain have reported hearing a skeptical. Dr. Robert Baloh loud noise before the sud- of the University of Califor- den onset of symptoms. nia, Los Angeles, argued Particularly alarming are that scans of healthy peo- revelations of at least two ple’s brains sometimes possible incidents in the display mini-strokes and Washington area, includ- that any possible weapon ing one case near the would be too large or re- White House in November quire too much power to in which an official report- be deployed without de- ed dizziness. tection. The new higher number of Baloh said the growing possible cases was first re- number of cases consid- ported by The New York ered directed energy at- Times. CNN first reported tacks is actually linked to the case near the White “mass psychogenic illness,” House and an additional in which people learning of incident in November. others with symptoms be- Advocates for those affect- gin to feel sick themselves. ed accuse the U.S. gov- In this March 14, 2019, file photo, Cuban officials make a presentation on a series of mysterious “Many people are hearing ernment of long failing to illnesses suffered by U.S. and Canadian diplomats in Havana, reiterating that no evidence supports about it and that’s how it take the problem seriously allegations that the symptoms resulted from high-tech attacks, during a news conference in gets propagated,” Baloh Havana, Cuba. or provide the necessary said. Associated Press medical care and benefits. Lawmakers from both par- “The government has a ties are pushing the Biden much better understand- headache. employees to receive out- unknown.” The document administration to take this ing of it than it has let on,” “He was well-trained, ex- patient treatment at Wal- was published by George seriously. A bill introduced said Mark Zaid, a Washing- tremely well-trained, and ter Reed National Military Washington University’s Na- in both the House and Sen- ton lawyer who represents he’d been in combat be- Medical Center. tional Security Archive. ate on Wednesday would several people affected. fore,” Miller told The Associ- The CIA also replaced its The report also noted that bolster the payment of dis- Zaid has obtained Nation- ated Press. “This is an Amer- chief medical officer with the CIA ultimately closed its ability benefits for traumat- al Security Agency docu- ican, a member of the De- a doctor seen internally as Havana station, a victory ic brain injuries suffered in ments noting it has informa- partment of Defense. At more sympathetic to pos- for a potential adversary. the incidents. tion dating to the late 1990s that point, you can’t ignore sible cases. Dr. James Giordano, a neu- “There’s no greater priority about an unidentified “hos- that.” “We were treated so aw- rology professor at George- than ensuring the health tile country” possibly hav- Defense and intelligence fully in the past,” said Marc town University, consulted and safety of our people, ing a microwave weapon officials have publicly prom- Polymeropoulos, a 26-year with the State Department and the anomalous health “to weaken, intimidate, or ised to push for answers and CIA veteran who was di- on the Havana cases and incidents that have afflict- kill an enemy over time.” better care for people with agnosed with a traumatic has been briefed on more ed our personnel around Chris Miller, the acting de- symptoms. Lt. Col. Thomas brain injury following a 2017 recent incidents in the U.S. the world are of grave fense secretary during the Campbell, a Defense De- visit to Russia. “Now they’re and abroad. In reviewing concern,” said Rep. Adam last months of the Trump partment spokesman, said putting people in place records of people affected Schiff, the California Demo- administration, created a the causes of any incidents who not only believe us but in Havana, Giordano noted crat who chairs the House Pentagon team to inves- “are areas of active inqui- are going to advocate for evidence of neurological Intelligence Committee, tigate the suspected at- ry.” Officials have not iden- our health care.” injuries in several people, in a statement. Rep. Devin tacks. That was after he tified a suspected country, One key analysis identified suggesting they may have Nunes, the committee’s met a soldier late last year though some people af- “directed, pulsed radio been hit with radio waves. top Republican, said the fected suspect Russian in- frequency energy” as the He identified two possible people reporting symptoms volvement. most plausible culprit. Pub- culprits: a device intention- “were apparently subject CIA Director William Burns lished in December by the ally used to target potential to attack.” ARUBA testified before Congress National Academy of Sci- victims or a tool that used Polymeropoulos, the for- CLEAN that he would make the in- ences, the report said a ra- directed energy waves to mer CIA officer, said he vestigation “a very high pri- dio frequency attack could conduct surveillance that believed the U.S. would ul- ority to ensure that my col- alter brain function without may have unintentionally timately identify what was leagues get the care that causing “gross structural harmed the people target- behind the incidents and they deserve and that we damage.” But the panel ed. One of the November who is responsible. get to the bottom of what could not make a definitive attacks outside the White “The actual intelligence is caused these incidents finding on how U.S. person- House had “substantial going to take us to the truth and who was responsible.” nel may have been hit. similarities” to the Havana on this,” he said. “If we find Burns receives daily up- And a declassified 2018 cases, Giordano said, add- that a certain adversary IS MORE dates on the investigation, State Department report ing that he was not autho- did this, there’s going to be which covers employees cited “a lack of senior lead- rized by the government to uncomfortable decisions DUSHI who have reported cases ership, ineffective commu- be more specific. on what to do.”q A3 U.S. NEWS MONDAY 24 MAY 2021 U.S. commander says more work needed to counter small drones By LOLITA C. BALDOR The Biden administration Associated Press has resumed strategic talks BAGHDAD (AP) — A month with Baghdad, initiated after an explosives-laden under President Donald drone targeted U.S. forces Trump, in which the future at an Iraq base, the top of U.S. troop presence in American commander for Iraq is a central point of the Middle East says find- discussion. McKenzie and ing better ways to counter others have expressed opti- such attacks is a top prior- mism that the U.S.