‘Sonic attack’ in Havana leaves Canadian envoys with hearing loss
CANADIAN diplomats have been affected by a suspected “sonic device” placed near embassy property in Havana, Ottawa has confirmed – a day after US officials said that their staff had suffered from severe hearing loss.
The Canadian government said at least one of its diplomats and their family members were treated in hospital for headaches and hearing loss.
“We are aware of unusual symptoms affecting Canadian and US diplomatic personnel and their families in Havana,” said Brianne Maxwell, a Canada spokesman for global affairs.
“The government is actively working – including with US and Cuban authorities – to ascertain the cause.”
A months-long US investigation had determined its diplomats had been attacked by a device that operates outside the range of normal audible sound, and used outside or inside the diplomats’ residences, the Associated Press reported.
On Wednesday, Heather Nauert, US state department spokesman, said that two Cuban diplomats had been expelled from the US in response to the “physical symptoms” suffered.
She would not specify the symptoms, or those involved, but AP said it was believed five Americans were affected and had to return to the US.
Canada is not at the point where it is ready to take reprisals, since the investigation is continuing and it is too early to conclude the Cuban government was behind the incidents.
The Foreign Office told The Daily
Telegraph that it could not comment on whether any British diplomats were affected, citing privacy and security concerns.
The Cuban government issued a statement on Wednesday calling the expulsion of its diplomatic staff “unjustified”, adding that it was launching a “comprehensive, priority and urgent investigation”.
Officials familiar with the inquiry told AP that investigators were looking into the possibilities that the incidents were carried out by a third country such as Russia, possibly operating without the knowledge of Cuba’s formal chain of command.
However, Mark Galeotti, senior research fellow at the institute of international relations in Prague, said he doubted Russia could have carried out such activity without Cuban knowledge because of their close ties.