Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement early Thursday rejecting the finding by the U.S. intelligence community that the constellation of ailments known as “Havana syndrome” cannot be linked to a foreign adversary.
Rubio says just because intelligence agencies cannot conclusively link the headaches, dizziness, tinnitus and other symptoms associated with “Havana syndrome” to any cutting-edge weapon possessed by foreign agents that doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility.
“Something happened here and just because you don’t have all the answers, doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. I will not accept that all these reported cases are just coincidences and I will continue to work on this issue until we receive real explanations,” he said.
Rubio made his comments after the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday received the intelligence community’s assessment about what it has dubbed “anomalous health incidents.”
“Upon first glance, I am concerned that the intelligence community [effectively] concluded that U.S. personnel, who reported AHI symptoms, were simply experiencing symptoms caused by environmental factors, illness, or preexisting conditions and is potentially rushing to a conclusion while a substantial number of questions remain,” Rubio said.
The Florida Republican said that his panel will continue its independent review of “Havana syndrome” reports and take steps to ensure that foreign service officers who have been affected receive comprehensive care.
The symptoms associated with “Havana syndrome” were first reported in 2016 by U.S. officials working in Cuba. More than 1,500 cases have since been reported around the world.
The CIA concluded in January of last year that “Havana syndrome” was probably not caused by a foreign power.