CIA chief in Vienna removed over handling of 'Havana Syndrome' case: Report
Several incidences involving embassy staff and CIA employees, and family members have recently been recorded in Vienna. Still, the unidentified station head voiced scepticism and insensitivity, citing intelligence sources.
FollowThe illness has been dubbed "Havana syndrome" since reports of it first appeared in the Cuban capital. It is characterised by bloody noses, headaches, visual difficulties, and other symptoms that mirror concussions.
According to the Washington Post, the CIA recently dismissed its Vienna, Austria station commander over accusations that the individual did not treat a rise in strange "Havana syndrome" cases properly. Several incidences involving embassy staff and CIA employees, and family members have recently been recorded in Vienna. Still, the unidentified station head voiced scepticism and insensitivity, citing intelligence sources.
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A CIA official declined to confirm or reject the story but stated that the agency is aware of several suspected cases of the mystery illness in US diplomatic posts across the world. According to CIA Deputy Director David Cohen, the reason and source are yet unknown.
Some persons who have experienced it have described hearing concentrated, high-pitched, or harsh noises that made them feel sick. The occurrences are poorly understood, prompting speculation that they were caused by a weapon employing concentrated microwaves, ultrasound, poison, or even a response to crickets. However, high government authorities disregarded the concerns for several years, dismissing them as the symptoms of persons under stress or responding hysterically to unknown stimuli.
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Joe Biden's administration has stepped up the inquiry into what has been dubbed anomalous health events, or AHI. If the instances result from anything like a directed energy strike, US authorities think Russia is to blame.
The Havana Syndrome was discovered in 2017 when US diplomats stationed in Cuba reported experiencing health problems after hearing high-pitched noises. Similar incidents have been recorded from American diplomatic missions in China and even Europe. According to sources, the Americans were still unsure if the CIA director and his team were purposefully targeted during their visit to India. Officials in New Delhi are tight-lipped about the claims, which first surfaced in American media.
