US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced in June that he would conduct thorough investigations into alleged attacks on US diplomats using guided electromagnetic waves. It is said to lead to various neurological conditions (migraines, hearing loss, dizziness, sleep disturbances) known as “Havana syndrome”, as they were first complained about in 2016 by diplomats working in the Cuban capital.
The New Yorker reported Friday that as of January, symptoms of “Havana syndrome” had been reported by about 20 US diplomats, intelligence officers and other officials stationed in Vienna. More cases of this condition have been reported only in Havana.
“We take these reports very seriously, and in accordance with our role as the host country, we are working with the US authorities to jointly get to the heart of this issue,” the Austrian diplomat said.
Vienna has long been the center of diplomatic and espionage activities, Reuters writes. The city is the headquarters of many United Nations agencies and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is the reason for the presence of many diplomats and secret intelligence agents. According to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are 158 American diplomats in Vienna.
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