CIA watchdog to review handling of ‘Havana syndrome’ cases

The CIA inspector general is reviewing how the agency has handled cases of elusive “Havana syndrome” and the officers who have become sick from the ailment. 

CNN reports that the CIA inspector general will be reviewing the handling of the cases while CIA Director William Burns said he is tripling the size of the medical team investigating the illness.

Havana syndrome appeared in 2016 in Cuba when a number of diplomats got mysteriously ill. Some believe the syndrome is from radio-wave weapons used by foreign enemies, but the theory has yet to be proven.

Officials said it has been difficult getting the victims of the attack the care they need as some officials were skeptical of the syndrome, according to CNN.

“It’s shameful that U.S. public servants and their loved ones afflicted by these directed energy attacks have endured such hardships to access the care they need, and that we still do not have clarity on the causation,” Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) said Thursday.

The Senate passed a bill in June to give payments to government employees who have been injured by the Havana syndrome attacks. 

“The National Academy of Sciences, a year ago, in a very extensive report that they did, suggested that the most plausible theory for what caused this was some form of directed energy, and that sort of narrows, then, the number of potential suspects who could have used this, have used it historically and have the reach to do this in more than one part of the world, too,” Burns said.

He also noted he has cut down the time it takes for victims of the attack to get to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment. 

The Biden administration has launched an investigation into Havana syndrome as new cases are popping up in Vienna. 

The Hill has reached out to the CIA for comment.