Complaints first appeared at the embassy in Havana – © AFP
Headaches, amnesia and nausea: More and more US embassy staff are dealing with mysterious brain diseases. Recently, the alleged Havana syndrome killed four employees in Paris and Geneva. “We’ll get to the bottom of the matter,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
US intelligence agencies are increasingly concerned about the Havana Syndrome. Neurological complaints can persist for months and may sometimes seem permanent. The victims are CIA agents, diplomats and embassy staff from all over the world. About 200 have been counted since the first case in Havana in 2016. In addition to Paris and Geneva, the syndrome has also surfaced last year during missions in Germany, Colombia, India and Vietnam.
The reason is a complete mystery. The possibility of attack or harassment from a hostile state is increasingly seen. Then everyone points to Russia. In recent years, the country has been blamed for cyber espionage and the assassination attempts of Sergei Skripal and Alexei Navalny.
microwave ovens
© AFP
Certifications come from all over the world, but they are always the same. The victims heard strange noises and experienced dizziness, memory loss and headaches. “Some people heard crunching noises, and others described them as shaking in their heads,” a former senior diplomat told the Wall Street Journal. “To drive you crazy,” he says.
The outside world also thought they were a little crazy, but now US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wants to get to the heart of the matter. One theory is that someone is pointing the microwave at embassies.
According to Russia, these “microwave weapons” are a myth, and China is also not satisfied with skepticism. Blinken admitted to MSNBC that until now Americans do not know exactly what happened and who is responsible. “We’re working overtime with the whole government to find out.”
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