Experts: Energy attacks could be behind some 'Havana' cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — A panel of intelligence experts hasn't identified a single culprit for apparent brain injuries reported by U.S. personnel that have been linked to so-called “Havana syndrome,” but several potential causes remain plausible, including the use of devices that emit beams of directed energy, officials said Wednesday.

The CIA announced last week that the agency considers it unlikely Russia or another foreign adversary is mounting a broad campaign to attack Americans with energy-emitting devices. While most cases have been linked to other causes by doctors and experts, there remains a smaller subset of several dozen cases that experts believe could be explained by the deliberate use of energy.

In examining the science behind the incidents, the panel's work is the latest announcement on a sensitive issue in diplomatic and scientific circles. U.S. officials and lawmakers have emphasized they regard the reported illnesses seriously and that any deliberate attack on U.S. personnel would be met with a firm response. But intelligence agencies have not made public evidence that an adversary is to blame. The uncertainty about the cause of the illnesses has added to friction between officials and those suffering from symptoms.

Psychological factors alone cannot explain the characteristics displayed by people in that smaller number of cases, said officials who briefed reporters Wednesday on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The use of pulsed electromagnetic energy “plausibly explains” those characteristics in some cases, as does the use of ultrasound waves at close range, officials said. Experts so far have not identified a specific device that could have been used to target American personnel in the field.

The officials who briefed reporters...