JAKARTA - The FBI announced on Wednesday that addressing the issue of the unusual health incident, widely known as Havana Syndrome, is a top priority and will carry out a thorough investigation of the cause.
About 200 US diplomats, officials and family members abroad are believed to have contracted the mysterious illness, with symptoms including migraines, nausea, memory problems and dizziness. This was first reported among US officials in the Cuban capital, Havana in 2016.
"The matter of unnatural health incidents is a top priority for the FBI, as the protection, health, and well-being of our employees and colleagues across the federal government is paramount," the agency said in a statement.
The federal agency added it would continue to work with the intelligence community to "identify the cause of this incident, determine how best to protect all personnel."
Sufferers and lawmakers have complained that US agencies do not take the disease seriously enough.
"The FBI takes all US government personnel who report symptoms seriously," the FBI statement said, adding it had messaged its staff about how to respond if they had an incident, and where they could receive medical care.
Meanwhile, Attorney Mark Zaid representing victims of Havana Syndrome said the FBI had historically been "less helpful, especially by claiming victims were suffering from psychosomatic symptoms, even though they never interviewed those individuals. I suspect that will change."
Separately, to lead the agency's task force on Havana Syndrome, CIA Director William Burns recently chose an undercover career spy and participated in the search that led to the assassination of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
"Director Burns made it a top priority to ensure officers get the treatment they need, and that we get to the bottom of this. We have strengthened our efforts to determine the origins of this incident, including setting up a targeting team. Our best experts, bring intensity and expertise to the problem. this is similar to our attempt to find bin Laden," a CIA spokesman said.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that during a recent visit to Moscow, Burns stressed to leaders of Russia's spy agencies that it would be "impossible" for foreign intelligence agencies to cause brain injury and other illnesses to US personnel and family members. .
Meanwhile, a US Government source said the agency does not currently have a firm view on the cause of the syndrome.
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