U.S. officials are investigating possible 'directed energy' attacks on government officials. Who's behind them? Here's everything you need to know: It

The mystery of 'Havana syndrome'

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2021-05-31 04:00:07

U.S. officials are investigating possible 'directed energy' attacks on government officials. Who's behind them? Here's everything you need to know:

It's the name given to a mysterious constellation of symptoms that first surfaced among American officials in Havana in 2016. Dozens of diplomats and CIA officers stationed in the U.S. Embassy there began falling ill with vertigo, headaches, fatigue, hearing loss, visual disturbances, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms. Some said at the outset they heard clicking and other odd sounds and felt intense pressure in the head. The following year, diplomats and other U.S. officials in Guangzhou, China, reported similar problems. Numerous CIA officers in Asia, Europe, and Australia have been afflicted over the past couple years, according to news accounts; CBS reports that more than a dozen CIA officials have returned to the U.S. for medical care so far this year, many requiring emergency evacuation. In a worrying development, two National Security Council officials reported being struck by Havana-like symptoms near the White House in November. One later told The New Yorker he fell to the ground, couldn't speak, and suddenly felt as if "I was going to die."

The New York Times reported last month that more than 130 Americans have been sickened. The Senate Intelligence Committee said in April that the pattern of attacks "appears to be increasing"; that same month, Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee they're increasingly worried about possible attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East and elsewhere. "We have failed to take it seriously as a threat," said Rep. Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican on the committee.