CIA sets up task force to probe Cuba attacks

The CIA has set up a task force bringing together experts to advance the investigation into a series of mysterious attacks on Americans in Havana, a person familiar with the matter said.

The task force was launched late last year and involves doctors, human resources professionals and counterintelligence agents working jointly in a centralized probe into the events that became a major stumbling block in U.S.-Cuba relations.

Diplomats stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Havana first began reporting strange symptoms in 2017, including dizziness, tinnitus, visual problems, vertigo and cognitive difficulties. Doctors at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Miami found evidence of brain injury and damage to the inner ear’s vestibular system in diplomats and their family members. Similar events were reported in China.

Alongside the establishment of a distinct CIA office, President Joe Biden’s new national security team has also made the investigation a top priority, a senior administration official said Friday. The Biden administration is reviewing Cuba policy, but the incidents in Havana are a significant hurdle to further normalization of relations with the Cuban government.

The official who confirmed the task force’s existence spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been publicly announced. The development was first reported Wednesday by CNN.