Havana Syndrome And Its Conspiracy Theories

On 21st September, a US intelligence officer travelling along with CIA director William Burns had reported symptoms of Havana Syndrome during their earlier visit in India this month. This is the first time the occurrence has been documented in India and it could have diplomatic ramifications.

According to the reports in the US media, the discovery has enraged the CIA director and the incident might result in a 'egregious escalation' if an unfriendly state was revealed to be engaged in the attack.

According to sources in the Indian security establishment, no such weapon is in the possession of an Indian agency. Although no country would accept to commit such an attack but it is imperative to note that the relations between India and America has been cooperative and there is no point of targeting US officials.

Last month, US Vice President Kamala Harris's travel to Vietnam was delayed for several hours after the US embassy in Hanoi reported a probable case involving 'acoustic incidents,' sparking suspicions that she could be a target.

Harris did eventually travel to Hanoi, but the US State Department stated that it was examining a case of what the federal government formally referred to as a 'anomalous health incidents.' The media then dubbed it the 'Havana syndrome' informally.

How did it start?

Since its inception five years ago, the illness has impacted roughly 130 people, causing brain impairments in spies, diplomats, military and other US employees stationed abroad. Cases from Europe and other regions of Asia are also included in the new cases.

Havana Syndrome is a collection of medical signs and symptoms recorded by US and Canadian Embassy personnel in Havana, Cuba, since 2016. The syndrome's effects lasted and constituted a considerable barrier to their work and normal functioning of their lives. It can have both immediate and long-term impacts without causing physical harm.

US diplomats stationed in Havana reported feeling unwell, hearing weird sounds for an extended period of time and experiencing strange bodily sensations.

Starting with dizziness and severe headache, the symptoms progressed to nausea, fatigue, sleep issues, hearing loss, insomnia and eventually memory loss. Some people who have experienced Havana Syndrome have also described hearing a loud piercing sound and feeling great pressure on their faces.

Tinnitus, ear pain, vertigo, brain fog, loss of balance and muscle control are also some of the after effects that were observed in the last 3-4 years.

While the symptoms have gone for some of the affected employees, the consequences have lingered and posed a severe impediment to their employment and normal functioning of their life for others.

Cases of Havana Syndrome reported

During a visit to China in 2018, a US envoy complained about hearing the same 'piercing sound.' In a 2018 news report, a Canadian officer reported having peculiar health symptoms and when tested, it was discovered that the individual had suffered from brain damage, but no information could be extracted to determine why the brain damage occurred in the first place. A 2019 academic study in the United States discovered that the guys who were unwell had brain abnormalities.

Now in 2021, the Havana Syndrome seems to have resurfaced again as more than 20 US officials were found to have Havana like symptoms, where most of them being from Vienna.   

The conspiracy theory revolving around it 

The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine (NAS) of America released its report in December 2020 on the findings examining 4 possibilities to explain the symptoms of Havana Syndrome. The experts investigated the symptoms of approximately 40 government personnel and listed the below symptoms:

- Chemical

- Infection

- Psychological factors

- Microwave energy

In the month of April 2021, it was reported that the US was looking into a possible high-powered microwave strike near the White House, which might cause catastrophic brain injuries and harm to the neurological system. It's possible that these people were targeted using an unseen weapon known as directed microwave radiation.

Microwave weapons are said to be a type of direct energy weapon that fires highly focused energy at a target in the form of sonic, energy, or microwaves. Microwaves cause discomfort and pain by heating the water in the human body.

The answer to all these phenomena have been unexplained but a new conspiracy theory has been raised that it could be a 'weapon of war'.

In 2017, the former US President Donald Trump stated, “I do believe Cuba is responsible. I Do believe that and it’s a very unusual attack.”

The cause of Havana Syndrome has not been ascertained yet and is currently based on various speculations and assumptions. Although the US Agencies believe that the syndrome is being intentionally caused. CIA Director William Burns told the media that he is seriously considering a strong possibility for Havana to be the result of intentional actions.

Reportedly, to prevent a Havana Syndrome energy attack, the US Department of Defense is developing a wearable sensor that detects invisible radio frequencies.

US officials feels Russia could be responsible for such attacks as Russia has a history of researching weapons that could potentially cause brain damage but there’s no official statement from the US government against Russia.

Going by the allegations or assumptions being posed by United States, all these attacks boils down to pointing finger at China and Russia, the most likely culprits to target US officials.

What next?

Despite these speculations, the scientific findings have not got any relevant basis, which makes the investigation to continue. As of now, the common ground where we are stuck at present is that there is a possibility of the existence of this sickness but the scientists have not been able to find exact cause of it, where US diplomats are the only ones who have been targeted. But if there is any such possibility of this syndrome’s existence where people could go mad and lose memory being attacked by an invisible weapon and fall into the hand of an unknown terror outfit, then this case definitely requires a collective and global consideration and investigation.