Media reports on directed-energy attacks affecting U.S. and Canada officials
Documentary on Havana Syndrome (CANAL+)
LE SYNDROME DE LA HAVANE - Une Création Documentaire CANAL+
Écrite et réalisée par Arthur BOUVART et Jules GIRAUDAT
Présentation par le co-réalisateur Arthur Bouvart :
https://www.facebook.com/reelmediaofficiel/videos/458451773877698/
Episode 1
Le 1er épisode est offert - https://youtu.be/2G6ceJbPxgs
Ce premier épisode a comme titre la phrase proverbiale "Houston, on a un problème".
Un grand challenge - Comment entamer la résolution d'un tel problème, d'un tel énigme ?
La phrase proverbiale a été citée, comme on sait, par le premier spécialiste qui a été appelé pour prendre en charge les personnes souffrantes, le Dr. Hoffer. Ici la nature du problème est évoquée d'abord par un des premiers patients de la Havane, un agent de la CIA avec l'alias "Adam". Ensuite par Dr. Giordano, Dr. Rosenfarb (directeur médical du State Dept.) et autres.
A noter que la langue d'origine de la vidéo est l'anglais, ce qui fait que le documentaire peut être suivi par des personnes non-francophones.
Une des premières victimes du Syndrome de la Havane, un ancien agent de la CIA, raconte son histoire, sous l'alias d'Adam. Il était parmi les cinq fonctionnaires mentionnés :
"A partir de la deuxième moitié de l'année 2016, les attaques ont visé des personnes très importantes. Il y a eu le responsable de la sécurité diplomatique, le médecin-chef de l'ambassade, puis moi; le secrétaire de l'ambassadeur et puis le vice-consulat adjoint."
Transcrit de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G6ceJbPxgs&t=503s ci-dessous :
"Un jour, je suis rentré seul de l'ambassade. En arrivant chez moi je me suis étendu sur mon lit. A un moment tous les chiens du quartier se sont mis à aboyer. Peu après, un son perçant a fait éruption dans ma chambre : c'était comme un coup de batte de baseball. Comme une onde qui se refermait sur moi. Et la pression m'écrasait peu à peu le crâne."
"Il y avait un son aigu, continu, presque mécanique. J'ai pris un oreiller pour m'en envelopper la tête. J'espérais que ça calmerait la douleur mais ça n'a rien changé. J'ai commencé à perdre connaissance sous l'effet de la douleur. Je me suis effondré par terre, ça m'a donné un coup de fouet, j'ai repris conscience."
"Je me suis précipité dans le couloir jusqu'à la cuisine, j'ai parlé à voix haute mais je n'entendais rien. Mes oreilles ne fonctionnait plus. Je me suis demandé est-ce que la pression est toujours? Là non, ce truc c'était dans la chambre et pas ailleurs. Mon premier réflex a été de consulter le médecin de l'ambassade."
"Quand je lui a expliqué ce qui s'était passé, j'ai vu une lueur dans son regard et il m'a dit : "j'ai entendu ce son moi aussi, j'ai ressenti la même chose". J'ai lui ai demandé d'être plus précis. Il m'a alors expliqué qu'au mois de novembre à l'époque de Thanksgiving, il avait vécu la même chose chez lui. Je lui ai répondu: je crois qu'on a un problème — une fois c'est curieux; mais si ça se répète ça mérite une enquête. Washington a été alerté."
C. Rosenfarb : "Ce jour-là, je déjeunais avec le directeur médical de la CIA. Il m'a parlé de plusieurs incidents qui avaient eu lieu à la Havane. Tout de suite j'ai mesuré la gravité de la situation. Je m'appelle Charles Rosenfarb. J'étais directeur médical du Département d'État."
Episode 2
The second episode includes an interview of Professor of Medicine Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD., the expert whose paper associated Havana Syndrome to microwave radiation.
Beatrice Golomb MD, PhD, Professor at University of California San Diego, discussed that the type of symptoms reported for Havana Syndrome indicated to her that microwave radiation was involved.
Diplomats experienced hearing sounds like hissing, buzzing, grinding, clinging, chirping and clicking, which would not be attenuated if they covered their ears or heads. That could be attributed to the Frey effect or microwave auditory effect. When microwave radiation impinges on the head, it induces miniscule elevations in temperature in the order of a millionth of a degree which set up small pressure waves in the head.
Her paper entitled "Diplomats' Mystery Illness and Pulsed Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation (https://direct.mit.edu/neco/article/30/11/2882/8424/Diplomats-Mystery-Illness-and-Pulsed) included well over 600 references.
She sent a letter to the top doctor in the State Department and received the reply saying that this makes interesting reading and that he would pass it to his experts. No further response was received.
"Le syndrome de la Havane", une série documentaire réalisée par Arthur Bouvart et Jules Giraudat
Présentation sur la matinale d'Europe 1 par la chroniqueuse culture Héloïse Goy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvqrDUfJRRU&t=130s
Transcrit de l'émission
Dimitri Pavlenko: Vous nous recommandez cette semaine une série documentaire qui arrive cette semaine sur Canal+.
Héloïse Goy : "Le syndrome de La Havane," c'est son nom. Vous avez peut-être déjà entendu parler de cette histoire, digne d'un film d'espionnage. Tout commence en 2016. Les relations diplomatiques entre Cuba et les États-Unis commencent à s'améliorer mais à la Havane des diplomates américains sont victimes d'étranges phénomènes.
Un extrait de la série suit.
Témoin : "C'était comme un coup de batte de baseball, comme une onde qui se refermait sur moi, et la pression m'écrasait peu à peu le crâne. J'ignore ce que c'était, mais ça m'a grillé le cerveau."
Héloïse Goy : Les médecins ne comprennent pas ce qu'il est arrivé à ces agents, qui se retrouvent avec de lourdes séquelles; certains sont aveugles d'un œil, par exemple. Donald Trump décide de fermer l'ambassade américaine à La Havane, mais la situation devient encore plus inquiétante, lorsque des centaines de nouveaux cas sont recensés au quatre coins du du monde.
DM : Incroyable. Et comment réagit le gouvernement américain à cette menace ?
HG : Mal, selon les agents concernés. La CIA minimise le phénomène et fait d'abord croire à une psychose collective. Le gouvernement tarde à soigner, à indemniser les blessés. En tout cas, toutes les victimes l'assurent : l'État cherche à étouffer l'affaire.
DM : Alors, les témoignages dans ce documentaire. Qui parle ?
HG : Beaucoup de scientifiques et de neurologues qui tentent de comprendre ce qu'il s'est vraiment passé. Plusieurs pistes sont avancées. Je vous laisse découvrir le détail, mais cela aurait à voir avec un nouveau type d'arme à microonde dans un contexte de renouveau de la guerre froide.
On entend également des journalistes, des haut fonctionnaires et puis, chose rare : plusieurs anciens agents de la CIA qui témoignent à visage découvert. C'est le cas d'Adam. S'il a le courage de parler, c'est parce qu'il considère que ses supérieurs l'ont abandonné.
Un extrait de la série suit.
Adam : "Je n'ai qu'un but aujourd'hui : c'est découvrir la vérité. Si on ne réagit pas immédiatement, on va au devant de gros problèmes à très court terme.
HG : Cet excellent documentaire est réalisé par deux Français. Quatre épisodes de 30 minutes qui regardent d'une traite, un peu comme un film à suspense, vous savez, où les rebondissements, les révélations pleuvent ! Je vous assure qu'on a même parfois du mal à croire ce qu'on voit.
DM : Le syndrome de La Havane, série documentaire, donc, à retrouver à partir de mercredi 21h sur Canal Plus et ce sera évidemment disponible aussi sur My Canal. Merci beaucoup, Héloïse Goy.
(...)
"60 minutes" investigation on Havana Syndrome - fourth installment
"Havana Syndrome evidence suggests who may be responsible for mysterious brain injuries"
2024-03-31
"This report is the result of a joint investigation by 60 Minutes, The Insider, and Der Spiegel".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdPSD1SUYCY
"Sanjay investigates “Havana Syndrome”
2023-01-17 & 2023-01-24, CNN
Pt. 1: https://youtu.be/i3QnpyRKZpM
Pt. 2: https://youtu.be/g8mwCrHuHYA (notes below)
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses with:
🔹Dr. J. Giordano; reference to the Moscow Embassy precedent,
🔹 Dr. J. Lin; reference to the "microwave auditory effect" or "Frey effect" and how he tested it on himself (intensities below safety standards). He mentions that he could hear a "zip" and that if he increased the duration of the pulse to 20 ms, he could hear a "click",
🔹Top Cuban scientist,
🔹 Cuban Foreign Minister,
🔹 Bill Evanina, director of National Counterintelligence and Security Center, who led the CIA efforts in Cuba,
🔹 Alyssa Farah, former WH Communications Director, former DOD Press Secretary,
S. Gupta: "How do you start to investigate it?"
B. Evanina: "You would ask the community to go back one decade to see what countries were spending research and development money on a type of weapon that can do this, that can cause this type of damage."
S. Gupta: "What were the countries that sort of came to the list?"
B. Evanina: "I think that if you went to the depth of the CIA, there is going to be plenty of those. But at the end of the day, you have to weigh probabilty plus intent (...)"
*********************************************************************
Comment: It can be concluded that based on the CIA interim and also final report, from the 1000 cases reported as Havana Syndrome, there is the Cuban cohort consisting of two dozen cases which represent verified cases and there are also another 100 cases in the verification/validation pipeline.
"Fighting an Invisible Enemy: The Voices of Havana Syndrome"
2022-12-22, NBC News
"Legal, financial fights mount as 'Havana Syndrome' goes unsolved"
2022-12-22, NBC News
Havana Syndrome and "low signature weapons"
2022-06-22, Sofrep
Private citizens report experiences similar to "Havana Syndrome"
2022-02-24, Los Angeles Times
"Watching this documentary, I thought about the thousands of private citizens who call themselves “targeted individuals” who’ve reported similar experiences, including perceived attacks by remote-controlled weapons causing long-term illness. They have been sounding the alarm for years about possible electromagnetic weaponry deployment on U.S. soil, but they’ve been derided as delusional."
Havana Syndrome cases on U.S. soil
CBS “60 Minutes” report, “Targeting Americans"(YouTube)
2022-02-20, 60 Minutes - CBS News
Facebook posts by @60minutes in chronological order.
"Miles Taylor tells 60 Minutes of an episode, similar to his own, that happened to a “roughly cabinet level” individual in the Trump administration. Taylor likened the events to a “five-alarm fire." https://cbsn.ws/3s6kZp9"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748767004395
"60 Minutes met Robyn Garfield, a commerce department official, in 2019 when he said he and his family had repeated episodes in China. Now, Garfield tells Scott Pelley his family was hit again during their year of treatment in Pennsylvania. https://cbsn.ws/3v5dKzG"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748805064395
"“It felt like my head was slowly starting to get crushed.”
One of the Americans first afflicted with purported “Havana Syndrome” in 2016 has decided to share his story for the first time. He still suffers from debilitating neurological symptoms. https://cbsn.ws/3v5dKzG"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748813084395
"A former US official recorded a sound outside his home in Havana, Cuba. Injured officials 60 Minutes spoke with said the sound or a feeling of pressure came from one direction. https://cbsn.ws/3v5dKzG"
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=466107235069162
"Dr. David Relman’s committees concluded the mechanism harming some U.S. officials could most likely be a high-power microwave weapon. James Benford, a leading authority on microwaves, tells Scott Pelley microwaves “go through practically everything.” https://cbsn.ws/3JIJnDb"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748856334395
"Investigators believe a microwave weapon could be behind the “Havana Syndrome” cases, but several questions remain unanswered."
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748874824395
"For the past six years, U.S. diplomats stationed in foreign countries have been reporting a series of neurological symptoms, now known as “Havana Syndrome.” Now, new incidents have occurred on U.S. soil. Stream tonight at 8pm on CBS News. https://cbsn.ws/3JCloFG"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159750324609395
"“Someone is trying to send us a message that they can strike blows against us and we can’t strike back.” Miles Taylor thinks he was targeted, and other victims are confident in what happened.
CIA Director Bill Burns: “we’re not done [investigating] yet.” https://cbsn.ws/3JIJnDb"
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748892174395
"Officials and diplomats are not the only ones who have reported unexplained symptoms at home and abroad. Strange illnesses and injuries have also impacted some of their children."
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748852364395
"Olivia Troye and Miles Taylor, two high-ranking Homeland Security officials in the Trump administration, say they were afflicted with “Havana Syndrome” in Washington, D.C."
https://www.facebook.com/60minutes/posts/10159748880249395
The UT Southwestern conference on Havana Syndrome
Havana Syndrome: Medical, Scientific, and Policy Perspectives
2022-02-10
Announcement by the Institute for Biodefense Research (more details in PDF), 2021-12-21
Report by the U.S. Intelligence Community Expert Panel on Anomalous Health Incidents
Declassified executive summary of the IC Expert Panel report
2022-02-02, ODNI Press Release
"Pulsed electromagnetic energy, particularly in the radiofrequency range, plausibly explains the core characteristics of reported AHIs (...)"
Some Havana Syndrome Cases Likely Caused by Electromagnetic Waves, Panel Finds (2022-02-02, WSJ)
US intelligence community report says 'pulsed electromagnetic energy' could cause Havana Syndrome (2022-02-02, CNN)
Panel Says Some Havana Syndrome Cases May Stem From Radio Energy (2022-02-02, NYT)
Expert panel reaffirms directed energy could be behind "Havana Syndrome" cases (2022-02-02, CBS News)
Réportage AFP (Agence France-Presse)
Le «syndrome de la Havane» peut-être dû à des ondes électromagnétiques (2022-02-02, Le Figaro)
Des ondes électromagnétiques pourraient être responsables" (2022-02-02, La Presse)
The JASON report for the U.S. Department of State
"An Analysis of Data and Hypotheses Related to the Embassy Incidents"
By the JASON elite scientist group advising the U.S. government
Released on 2022-02-02
Cited by NYT article
CIA task force interim report on Havana Syndrome
CIA says 'Havana Syndrome' not result of sustained campaign by hostile power
"In about two dozen cases, however, the agency can’t rule out foreign involvement, including many of the cases that originated at the U.S. Embassy in Havana beginning in 2016."
2022-01-20, NBC News
2022-01-20, CNN
Most ‘Havana Syndrome’ Cases Unlikely Caused by Foreign Power, C.I.A. Says
Number of Havana Syndrome cases: 1,000
2022-01-20, NYT
Video of statement by Secretary Blinken on the occasion of the release of the CIA task force interim report.
2022-01-20, U.S. State Department
'Their pain is real': Blinken defends diplomats after CIA casts doubt on Havana Syndrome
2022-01-20, NBC News
Havana Syndrome in Geneva and Paris
U.S. Diplomats in Geneva, Paris Struck With Suspected ‘Havana Syndrome’
2022-01-13, WSJ
Interview of Secretary Blinken following the above WSJ publication
2022-01-13, U.S. State Department Press Release
Video (2022-01-13, MSNBC)
Des diplomates américains à Paris et à Genève atteints à leur tour par le « syndrome de La Havane »
2022-01-13, Le Monde & Reuters
2022-01-13, BFM & AFP
2022-01-29, Le Monde
Havana Syndrome evaluation tool
U.S. Refines Tool to Evaluate Havana Syndrome Cases
2022-01-13, NYT
"Fighting an Invisible Enemy: The Voices of Havana Syndrome"
Documentary by NBC News - Interview with four diplomats from U.S. Embassy Cuba
(The documentary is available at the following link)
"Legal, financial fights mount as 'Havana Syndrome' goes unsolved"
Legal, financial fights mount as 'Havana Syndrome' goes unsolved
2021-12-22
Lawsuit against Defense Department by former U.S. intelligence officer, Mike Beck, who developed Parkinson's allegedly due to a directed-energy attack.
Canadian diplomats reported suspected Havana Syndrome incidents outside of Cuba, including in Europe and in Washington.
In New NBC Documentary, Shaheen Addresses Directed Energy Attacks Against U.S. Personnel
2021-12-23, Press release by Sen. Shaheen
Sen. Shaheen refers to several hundreds of AHI cases
A. Mitchell interview with Sen. Shaheen
2021-12-16, Sen. Shaheen & NBC News
FY22 NDAA includes Havana Syndrome provisions by Senators Collins and Shaheen associated with respective sponsored legislation, the HAVANA Act (law) and the Directed Energy Threat Emergency Response Act
2021-12-15, Press release by Sen. Collins
2021-12-15, Press release by Sen. Shaheen
AHI designation, AHI screening test
Unanswered questions loom over Biden administration push to strengthen ‘Havana Syndrome’ response
2021-12-15, Washington Post
AHI designation: Sensory experience consisting of sound (e.g. ear ringing), pressure, (or heat) followed by discomfort symptoms (e.g. headaches, dizziness and nausea).
Also, other causes or explanations need to be ruled out.
AHI screening test developed by NIH, Pentagon and different agencies. Triage test (two-hour exam) consisting of visual, vestibular and blood testing.
Brain imaging excluded due to uncertainty on whether "the apparent ailments constitute traumatic brain injury". NIH study due next year may answer question.
Above screening test can be administered by doctors or other practitioners to U.S. personnel - overseas missions.
DOD employees are treated by default at Walter Reed (renowned brain injury center). State Dept. employees are being accepted at John Hopkins.
DOD employees are not covered by the HAVANA Act (only State Dept. and CIA).
Majority of first Cuba patients returned to work but many are treated for vision/balance.
China patients strive for recognition and make progress.
Three quarters of 750 possible AHI reports no longer investigated.
Interagency investigation lacks evidence - Sufferer says investigators have readings especially in Guangzhou.
Review Finds No Answers to Mystery of Havana Syndrome
2021-12-02, NYT (limit to access)
Lack of evidence concerning:
1) ELINT (SIGINT) - signal of the attack (note of this site: possibly a low-probability-of detection (LPD) signal, related to classified signals, that only trained NSA/military SIGINTers could pick up in the spectrum),
2) COMINT (SIGINT) - communication intercepts,
3) HUMINT - informants/spies for person activities,
4) forensic evidence in general.
Three-quarters of 750 reports of AHI are no longer investigated as they lack sensory experience (e.g. pressure or sound) or can have other environmental/medical explanations.
Havana Syndrome sufferer Mark Lenzi, security engineering officer at the Guangzhou consulate (analysis of electronic/electromagnetic threats to diplomatic missions), says that investigators "have readings, especially in Guangzhou". He cites measurements of high levels of microwave energy in the apartment next to his. Measurements were conducted by his neighbor with a commercial detector and were mentioned in his worker compensation report. He adds that "follow-up tests by the government used a classified device widely known not to be as reliable at detecting directed energy".
Disability discrimination lawsuit filed against the State Department by Mark Lenzi
2021-12-10, CNN
Mark Lenzi, similarly to other employees from the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, had been excluded from the original medical cohort comprising of Cuba victims (having ear phenotype etc.).
During the 2007 G8 summit in Germany, G.W. Bush and delegates may have had symptoms similar to those reported by Havana Syndrome victims
Was George W. Bush a 2007 victim of Russia-induced 'Havana Syndrome'?
2021-12-07, The Washington Examiner
Based on Laura Bush's 2010 book which mentions among other: "our military aide's gait has never returned to normal, nor has our senior staffer regained full hearing in that ear."
The incident occurred the day after G.W. Bush and V. Putin "discussed their missile disagreement on the summit sidelines."
Comment of this site and citation from https://bit.ly/3ycMJKo: Early in 2007, U.S. ballistic missile plans in Europe were being announced. These included a RADAR in Czech Republic and interceptors in Poland "to counter a potential threat from longer-range Iranian missiles aimed at the U.S. East Coast and parts of Europe."
Canada diplomats say Ottawa mishandled 'Havana Syndrome' crisis
Canada diplomats say Ottawa mishandled 'Havana Syndrome' crisis
2021-12-02, France 24
The Canadian government acknowledges 14 cases of Havana Syndrome while personnel says the number is closer to 30 and increasing.
FBI calls dealing with 'Havana Syndrome' a top priority
FBI calls dealing with 'Havana Syndrome' a top priority
2021-11-25, Reuters
FBI acknowledges some agents may have Havana Syndrome symptoms
FBI acknowledges some agents may have Havana Syndrome symptoms
2021-11-24, NBC News
CIA Director raises Havana Syndrome issue with Russian Security and Intelligence Services during working visit in Moscow
CIA director warns Russian spies of ‘consequences’ if they are behind ‘Havana Syndrome’ incidents
2021-11-24, Washington Post (membership access)
Interview with Stanford Professor D. Relman
Prof. Relman is the Chair of the NASEM's advisory committee to the State Dept. on AHI and an editor of the NASEM's study report on AHI.
Event by the NASEM's Science Exchange program
2021-11-17, The Science & Entertainment Exchange
Directed-energy surveillance techniques used by intelligence agencies
Opinion: Dealing with ‘Havana Syndrome’ is a policymaker’s nightmare
2021-10-28, Washington Post (membership access)
"Microwaves, lasers and other directed energy systems are hardly new in the spy business. Intelligence collectors (including U.S. agencies) have bathed target locations with radio waves or beams, and then tried to tune the vibrations of particular objects — a pane of window glass, say, or the filament in a lightbulb — to produce what amounts to an invisible microphone. The CIA sometimes describes this as “ubiquitous technical surveillance,” or UTS."
Review article
A Cold War Saga in Biden’s Washington
"There are now so many cases of Havana Syndrome that Walter Reed is at capacity. The U.S. government has started outsourcing cases to other hospitals" (tweet by the author).
Lawmakers send letter to Secretary of State
Lawmakers pressure secretary of state to act on "crisis" posed by "Havana syndrome" as cases mount
2021-10-24, CBS News
Andrea Mitchell interview with three Havana Syndrome victims
'Seized by some invisible hand': What it feels like to have Havana Syndrome
2021-10-13, NBC News
U.S. Embassy Cuba diplomats Kate Husband, Doug Ferguson and Tina Onufer were among the first “Havana Syndrome" victims. They speak about the health challenges they face and the impact on their careers.
Colombia
Havana Syndrome Hits at Least Five U.S. Families Connected to Embassy in Colombia
2021-10-13, WSJ (membership access)
Havana syndrome’ cases reported in Colombia ahead of visit by SOUTHCOM commander
2021-10-13, McClatchy DC
NSC-issued alert
Convinced ‘Havana syndrome’ is real, Biden team issues sharper guidance for U.S. personnel
2021-10-05, McClatchy DC
“National security officials at the White House were recently issued a warning: move away from the immediate area as soon as possible if you ever feel the acute onset of pressure, sound or heat in the head.”
Pentagon held informal briefings for policy staff, the last week of September 2021. Personnel has been instructed to report any strange, sudden health symptoms without delay.
Serbia
Havana Syndrome Attacks Widen With CIA Officer’s Evacuation From Serbia
2021-09-28, WSJ (membership access)
CIA officer evacuated from Serbia in possible 'Havana syndrome' case: report
2021-09-28, The Hill
CIA recalls Vienna CIA chief
2021-09-23, Washington Post
Havana Act passed by both chambers of Congress
The House passes a bill to provide care for U.S. officials suffering from ‘Havana syndrome.’
2021-09-21, NYT (limit of access)
House passes bill to help diplomats, officials hit with Havana Syndrome
2021-09-22, NBC News
Complaints of officials
In tense Blinken meeting, 'Havana Syndrome' diplomats complain of skepticism
2021-09-21, NBC News
India - member of CIA director's team reported Havana Syndrome symptoms
Member of CIA chief's team reported Havana syndrome symptoms on recent trip to India
2021-09-21, CNN
Pentagon asks personnel to report AHI
Workforce reporting guidance is in place for CIA as of December 2020, for Pentagon as of September 2021
Pentagon Asks Personnel to Report Any Symptoms of Mysterious Ailments
2021-09-15, NYT (limit to access) memo
Defense secretary urges Pentagon employees to report any cases of "Havana Syndrome"
2021-09-15, CBS News
Alyssa Farah, former White House Communications Director and former DOD Press Secretary, speaks of her health incident (Havana Syndrome)
2021-08-25, The Hill
Kim Iversen interview with Alyssa Farah
https://youtu.be/2t2jW2H4ZAw?t=693
Alyssa Farah: "My incident happened on U.S. soil and I would say, I want to make sure to not diminish those who were victims of it, whatever that may be, because I have heard cases where it was severely painful and debilitating for folks. Mine was extremely uncomfortable and brief and I've shared a minute-by-minute breakdown with the task force, if it was in fact this -- I want to give that caveat -- but it's something that... The most important thing is determining what is the goal with this, what is the technology and then of course protecting diplomats and government officials who might be exposed".
Other selected excerpts:
https://youtu.be/2t2jW2H4ZAw?t=351
https://youtu.be/2t2jW2H4ZAw?t=617
Alyssa Farah: "When I worked in the Department of Defense... the Pentagon actually has any external facing windows have blockers up to block radio waves, because this kind of technology has existed for 50 plus years, but it's generally been associated more with surveillance than it has as any sort of a weapon".
Vietnam - Delay of VP Harris' trip
2 U.S. diplomats to be evacuated from Vietnam after "Havana Syndrome" incidents
2021-08-24, NBC News
VP Harris comments on the Vietnam health incident
Germany
U.S. Officials in Germany Hit by Havana Syndrome
2021-08-18, WSJ (membership access)
More 'Havana syndrome' cases reported at US embassy in Berlin: report
2021-08-18, Fox News
Berlin police investigating 'Havana syndrome' cases at U.S. Embassy
2021-10-08
ODNI convenes interagency meeting
Mystery Attacks on Diplomats Leave Scores of Victims but Still Little Evidence
2021-08-08, NYT (limit to access)
Top U.S. officials meet to discuss "Havana Syndrome" as cause remains unclear
2021-08-09, CBS News
Introduction of the Directed Energy Threat Emergency Response Act
Senators introduce bill to push White House on 'Havana syndrome' investigation
2021-08-03, POLITICO
Complaints of officials
Havana Syndrome stokes fear and frustration among diplomats over response from State Department
2021-08-02, CNN
CIA inspector general review
CIA inspector general reviewing handling of 'Havana Syndrome' cases
2021-07-23, CNN
Update
U.S. intensifies efforts to address "Havana Syndrome," but answers remain elusive
2021-07-27, CBS
Reports from 200 U.S. officials
As many as 200 Americans have now reported possible symptoms of 'Havana Syndrome,' officials say
2021-07-21, NBC News
Vienna
Vienna Is the New Havana Syndrome Hot Spot
2021-07-16, New Yorker
24 employees of the C.I.A. station in U.S. Embassy in Vienna, one of the largest C.I.A. stations in the world have reported being affected by AHI starting from two months after President Biden’s inauguration (January 20, 2021).
C.I.A. director Gina Haspel had asked personnel worldwide on 2020-12-03 to report AHI.
About two dozen reports of mysterious health incidents on US personnel in Vienna
2021-07-19, CNN
On situation exploitation
As mystery over 'Havana Syndrome' lingers, a new concern emerges
“U.S. officials are concerned that foreign adversaries may exploit energy-emitting devices to harm Americans now that they’re suspected of causing debilitating symptoms”
2021-06-09, NBC News
Havana Act passed by Senate
Senate passes bill to aid directed-energy attack victims
2021-06-07, POLITICO
The Senate approves a bill to compensate victims of mysterious health incidents.
2021-06-07, NYT (limit of access)
Baseline testing program available to State Department personnel
State to gather diplomats’ health details in response to Havana syndrome
2021-06-01, POLITICO
DHS asks personnel to report health incidents
MICROWAVE WEAPON CONCERNS SPREAD TO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
2021-05-28, The Intercept
DOD considering to ask personnel to report health incidents. Call was issued in September 2021
Pentagon considering telling troops to report suspected 'Havana Syndrome' incidents
2021-05-26, CNN
Complaints of officials
2021-05-26, NBC News
Four White House officials affected: two near the White House and two also in London
Are U.S. Officials Under Silent Attack?
2021-05-24, New Yorker
"more than a hundred and thirty possible cases, from Colombia to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to Austria, in addition to the United States and other countries. At least four of the cases involve Trump White House officials, two of whom say they had episodes on the Ellipse. The C.I.A. accounts for some fifty cases. The rest are mostly U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members."
Tweets by the author:
(London incidents) "In a room at the Intercontinental Hotel near the Royal Parks in London, the first two White House officials reported having Havana Syndrome-like experiences."
https://twitter.com/adamentous/status/1396773651408637952
"National Security Adviser John Bolton and his deputy, Charlie Kupperman, knew the London victims personally and believed that Havana Syndrome had reached the White House staff, but they couldn’t convince the CIA leadership that it was real."
https://twitter.com/adamentous/status/1396776921120317440
"The CIA leadership wasn’t alone in expressing skepticism. Profilers with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit assessed that the original Havana Syndrome victims suffered from mass psychogenic illness. The BAU did so without interviewing any of the victims."
https://twitter.com/adamentous/status/1396779184794521604
"CIA personnel in Havana had their blood drawn so specialists at the University of Pennsylvania could test for direct evidence that they had suffered brain injuries. But a hurricane knocked out power at the Embassy and the blood samples were spoiled."
https://twitter.com/adamentous/status/1396839768114204676
"Scientists at a U.S. military laboratory plan to expose non-human primates to pulsed microwave radiation and they will then examine their brains to see if they suffered from traumatic brain injuries".
https://twitter.com/adamentous/status/1396827417336074250
White House officials affected
US investigates second suspected case of mystery 'syndrome' near White House
2021-05-17, CNN
Incidents near WH
First incident: NSC official at gate near the Ellipse (near White House) after the 2020 election. Mild symptoms including headaches and sleeplessness. Symptoms disappeared within a week.
Second incident: NSC official at entrance to the White House grounds. More serious symptoms "and was ill enough to seek immediate medical treatment".
Similar incident:
White House staffer, northern Virginia (Washington suburb), 2019. Also, London, UK in 2019.
Detection: "Multiple agencies are also trying to create or repurpose a type of sensor that could be used to detect anomalous activity and, theoretically, help establish that personnel are being hit, according to two current US officials and one former US official -- although sources cautioned such a tool would only be able to detect the activity, not protect from it."
Sensor
US developing sensor to stop ‘havana syndrome’ energy attack
2021-05-13, Yahoo News
Washington Post Editorial
Opinion: The mystery attacks on Americans must be solved
2021-05-13, Washington Post
The article is commented by attorney Mark Zaid on Twitter. He mentions among other:
"Evidence exists this dates back to Johnson/Nixon Administrations & every one since."
"There are far more victims than USGOVT publicly reveals. I hear from new victims all the time. Most are w/i Intel Community & agencies classify info to hide circumstances. Congress needs to hold public & classified hearings. No public hearing has been held for years."
DOD commanders requesting declassification
Spy chiefs look to declassify intel after rare plea from 4-star commanders
POLITICO, 2021-04-26
Commanders of almost all* combatant commands of the Department of Defense signed memo addressed to the Intel Community in January 2020 requesting declassification of intelligence
Intelligence review
U.S. conducting intelligence review of "Havana Syndrome" incidents, as suspected CIA cases rise
CBS News, 2021-05-06
Canadian personnel removed from Havana embassy
Military police removed from Canadian embassy nearly a year after last ‘Havana syndrome’ case
Global News, 2021-05-05
CIA briefing to Senate Intel Committee: one of the most contentious
CIA briefing to lawmakers on suspected energy attacks turned contentious
CNN, 2021-05-04
Complaints of Canadian diplomats
NBC News, 2021-04-29
Miami - U.S. troops
U.S. probing suspected directed-energy attack on government personnel in Miami
POLITICO, 2021-04-29
"In a separate recent briefing in Europe that included State and Pentagon officials, a defense official said there has been an increasing number of directed-energy attacks on U.S. troops reported worldwide, including in Europe and the U.S., a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter told POLITICO."
"In Miami, several people reported symptoms”(...) "three people said."
DOD taskforce investigation
‘It’s an act of war’: Trump’s acting Pentagon chief urges Biden to tackle directed-energy attacks
POLITICO, 2021-05-03
US investigating possible mysterious directed energy attack near White House
CNN, 2021-04-29
Incidents in November 2020
DOD task force investigation on directed-energy attacks on DOD personnel started in December 2020: Chris Miller, acting defense secretary of the previous administration, assigned Griffin Decker, a career civil servant from U.S. Special Operations Command to run the effort.
"Decker would track and verify reports in the military of what by then had become known informally as "Havana syndrome." Miller says Griffin would report a new case to him "every couple of weeks," although he cautioned that they were on the lookout for false reporting, psychosomatic episodes or hypochondria. Some of the cases they tracked included the children and dependents of Defense Department personnel overseas, Miller said."
"Decker and Jennifer Walsh, who was the acting under secretary of defense for policy, briefed House and Senate lawmakers over the last two weeks"
Directed-energy attacks affecting U.S. troops - DOD requests to provide congressional briefing
U.S. troops increasingly vulnerable to directed-energy attacks, Pentagon tells lawmakers
POLITICO, 2021-04-22
"Jennifer Walsh, the acting Pentagon policy chief, and Griffin Decker, the Pentagon’s director of the emerging threats cell requested to provide a briefing to the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday April 15 concerning an "emerging threat". “Due to the nature of the threat, members are highly encouraged to attend,” the notice stated." https://twitter.com/laraseligman/status/1385314471518801922
"Officials told lawmakers that the phenomenon of suspected directed-energy attacks on U.S. personnel — which cause a mysterious illness similar to the “Havana syndrome” reported by American spies and diplomats starting in late 2016 — is growing across the world, according to three people who attended Wednesday’s briefing."
"The briefers said they were concerned about the growing frequency of apparent attacks around the world, but noted that they are especially concerned about the vulnerability of U.S. personnel in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, which includes combat zones from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan, the people said."
An additional concern was expressed: these facilities have not been rendered electromagnetically resistant (hardened).
Pentagon investigated suspected Russian directed-energy attacks on U.S. troops
POLITICO, 2021-04-22
"The Pentagon has briefed top lawmakers on intelligence surrounding suspected directed-energy attacks against U.S. troops."
"The Defense Department had been investigating the incidents, including those targeting its personnel around the world, since last year."
"Pentagon officials informed at least two key groups of lawmakers earlier this year, in written form and in-person, about the investigation."
"The briefings included information about injuries sustained by U.S. troops in Syria."
"The investigation includes one incident in Syria in the fall of 2020 in which several troops developed flu-like symptoms, two people familiar with the Pentagon probe said. A Pentagon spokesperson, however, said the department is not aware of directed-energy attacks against U.S. troops in Syria."
"Pentagon’s office of special operations and low-intensity conflict began investigating last year."
"The members of Congress privy to top-secret intelligence, known as the Gang of Eight, were notified about Russia’s suspected targeting of Americans in Syria using directed energy, according to the two people with direct knowledge of the matter. The Senate Armed Services Committee was also briefed, the people said."
Review articles
The Mystery of the Immaculate Concussion
2020-10-19, GQ
The story of Marc Polymeropoulos.
U.S. incident: White House staffer affected shortly after Thanksgiving 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. Also affected in August 2019, in London, UK.
Reference to UK incident by Is Russia targeting CIA spies with secret weapons?
BBC News, 2021-02-02
Havana syndrome: NSA officer’s case hints at microwave attacks since 90s
The Guardian, 2021-05-02
‘Havana syndrome ’ and the mystery of the microwaves
2021-09-09, BBC