Overview
September 27, 2023 article reporting that CIA employees and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson are among the latest possible targets of Havana Syndrome attacks.
Key Findings:
- Senator Ron Johnson experienced permanent hearing loss in one ear and balance issues following a 2018 trip to Moscow
- Johnson was evaluated at NIH and Walter Reed Hospital for Havana Syndrome but never received a definitive diagnosis
- Attorney Mark Zaid represents CIA employees throughout the nation, including those based in Wisconsin
- Russia has officially claimed responsibility for attacking U.S. intelligence community with directed energy weapons
Victim Testimony:
> "I lost my hearing and my balance simultaneously" — Senator Ron Johnson
Legal Framework
Under the Havana Act, Tier I settlements with the federal government start around $140,000. Zaid notes that compensation under the Havana Act requires simplified filings rather than traditional litigation.
Attorney Mark Zaid's Assessment:
> "I would dare say there is cover-up" — regarding U.S. government downplaying of Havana Syndrome and making victims think they have psychological issues when reality involves serious brain injury
Technology and Deployment
The article outlines theories about how the technology developed:
- Microwave technology used in Havana Syndrome has been around since the 1950s
- U.S. government had duty to protect employees but may not have taken proper steps
- Attacks on U.S. citizens could constitute an act of war requiring appropriate response
Deployment Methods:
- Small portable microwave-based energy weapons deployed by foreign agents
- Devices can be easily concealed and hidden in vehicles or offices
- Hotels are frequent targets; adversaries may rent rooms adjacent to targets for close-range attacks
- Lower doses currently used by local law enforcement for crowd control throughout the United States
International Context
On September 15, 2023, Reuters reported that Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's Security Council, wrote in the foreign intelligence agency's house magazine:
> "In recent years, hundreds of employees of foreign intelligence services, as well as other persons involved in organizing intelligence and subversive activities against our country and our strategic partners, have been identified and neutralized."