House Intel Panel Concludes ‘Increasingly Likely’ Adversary Behind Mysterious Havana Syndrome

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The House Permanent Select Subcommittee on the CIA released an interim report on Thursday, asserting that it is “increasingly likely” that the mysterious health condition known as Havana syndrome is the result of a foreign entity’s actions.

This brief, unclassified report strongly criticized a previous US Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that dismissed the possibility of the condition being caused by an “intentional weaponized attack” and emphasized the necessity for continued investigation into the issue.

“I have discovered that there is reliable evidence to suggest that some Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) are the work of foreign adversaries,” stated Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Chairman of the Subcommittee, in his remarks.

The term “Anomalous Health Incidents” (AHIs) is the designation used by the intelligence community to describe the Havana Syndrome, which has affected hundreds of American military, diplomatic, and intelligence personnel since at least late 2016.

The subcommittee’s report, spanning 10 pages, agreed with Chairman Crawford, finding that it is “increasingly likely … that a foreign adversary is behind some AHIs.” It also criticized the ICA for lacking analytic integrity and being irregular in its formulation.

Experiences with the syndrome differ between individuals. Some report hearing strange, disturbing sounds before developing symptoms, while others did not hear anything prior to falling ill. There has been ongoing speculation about whether the noises might have been crickets.

Symptoms also vary, with affected individuals experiencing a range of issues, including ear pain, memory loss, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, hearing impairment, and more.

Despite the differences in symptoms, the common denominator is that all those affected were government personnel.

“The Subcommittee’s investigation has uncovered information illustrative of problems with the ICA’s creation, review, and release. Some of these problems may include a rush to convey a consensus amongst elements of the IC [intelligence community] in an effort to control the narrative,” the report pointed out.

The subcommittee referenced the IC Experts Panel, which reviewed the issue before the ICA and made its declassified findings public in February 2022. The panel had concluded that the symptoms of Havana Syndrome were “genuine and compelling,” and suggested that the condition could have been triggered by external stimuli.

While the interim report did not provide additional specifics on why it believes a foreign adversary is increasingly likely to be responsible for the mysterious ailment, Chairman Crawford accused intelligence agencies of obstructing their investigation.

“Sadly, the IC has actively attempted to impede our investigation, but we have nonetheless been able to gather significant evidence, and I have reason to believe that its claims of environmental or social factors explaining AHIs are false,” Crawford stated.

Crawford and his team are working towards completing a “substantial and highly classified report” on the issue.

The interim report also offered three primary recommendations. First, it suggested a complete overhaul of the intelligence community’s analytical process, demanding that the IC carry out a “fact-based” assessment of the matter.

The second recommendation called for an expansion of the collection of Havana Syndrome cases to gather more evidence for further investigation. Finally, the report urged the establishment of stronger, more standardized medical care for those suffering from the perplexing condition.

Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, supported the conclusions in the interim report regarding the involvement of a foreign adversary in the Havana Syndrome incidents.

“I would like to thank Chairman Crawford for his tireless efforts investigating AHIs. I agree with his interim report indicating that foreign adversaries are likely responsible for some AHIs,” Turner said in a statement.

{Matzav.com}

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