A high-speed chase in Florida has raised questions about a potential link to the mysterious “Havana syndrome,” first reported in Cuba in 2016. The condition has since been reported by hundreds of American personnel in various countries. The chase in Florida involved police pursuing a driver on a highway in Key West in June 2020, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph over a distance of 15 miles. After the driver was apprehended, officers found bank account notes and a device resembling a walkie-talkie that could erase a car’s computer data. The suspect, who claimed to be Vitalii from St. Petersburg and had a Russian passport, repeatedly stated, “I don’t know” when asked why he fled from police.
The incident in Florida comes after a nearly five-year study by the National Institutes of Health, which found no explanation for the mysterious health problems reported by US diplomats and government employees. Symptoms of Havana syndrome include headaches, balance problems, and difficulties with thinking and sleep. Advanced tests did not reveal any brain injuries or degeneration in those affected. MRI scans showed no significant differences in brain volume, structure, or white matter between Havana syndrome patients and healthy government workers with similar jobs.
The NIH study did not support earlier findings that suggested brain injuries in those experiencing Havana syndrome, contradicting the theory of directed energy attacks by foreign adversaries such as Russia. The investigation did not uncover any evidence of involvement by a foreign adversary in most cases of Havana syndrome, attributing the symptoms instead to various causes such as undiagnosed illnesses and environmental factors. While researchers could not rule out transient injuries at the onset of symptoms, the lack of long-term markers on brain scans was considered good news as they did not show typical signs after trauma or stroke.
The ongoing mystery of Havana syndrome began when US Embassy personnel in Cuba reported symptoms such as hearing loss and ear-ringing after hearing strange noises. Despite initial concerns of a foreign attack using directed energy, US intelligence agencies have since stated that most cases appear to have different causes. The NIH study, which included more than 80 Havana syndrome patients and began in 2018, was not intended to investigate the likelihood of a weapon or trigger for the symptoms. The findings from the study did not conflict with the conclusions of intelligence agencies, indicating a complex and elusive nature to the phenomenon, leaving many questions unanswered.
