US still at a loss to explain Cuba ‘attacks’ on envoys

WASHINGTON: More than a year since the fi rst of 24 US diplomats and family members fell victim to a mystery attack in Havana, the US is still at a loss to explain what happened.

Only one thing is clear. The US government holds Cuba responsible, arguing that Raul Castro’s authoritarian state must have either carried out the assaults or at least know who did.

The issue has poisoned any attempt to move forward with the fragile detente achieved between the former Cold War foes, who re- opened their embassies and exchanged ambassadors in 2015 for the fi rst time since 1961.

But, as Washington continues to press Havana for action, there is one extremely important plank in their case missing: US officials simply do not know who or what caused their diplomats to fall ill with injuries resembling brain trauma.

On Tuesday, in a hearing for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, State Department officials said they would open a review board into their own handling of the issue, but could offered frustrated lawmakers little in the way of answers.

Initially officials suspected the Americans had been targeted by some sort of acoustic weapon, although in public senior officials were more cautious, speaking of ‘health attacks’.

Now, US press reports suggest that FBI agents dispatched to Havana have been able to fi nd no evidence to support the acoustic or sonic weapon theory. Some in Washington have begun to wonder if now is the time to start sending non- essential staff back to the Havana embassy, since there’s no proof of what happened. — AFP