“Whether or not a microwave weapon was the culprit, this stealth technique may be a weapon of the future. I would not be surprised if some military establishment around the world invests or has already been engaged in such a program.”

Professor James Lin — University of Illinois, Chicago

December 22 2017 — In October 2017, I suggested than a microwave weapon — and not sonic attacks — may be the cause of the “Havana syndrome”. Professor James Lin just published a paper on the possibility that the Havana syndrome might indeed be explained by a secret microwave weapon. Professor Lin has kindly agreed to review the known facts about this case and compare them to our current knowledge of ‘microwave weapons’.  Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

RELATED POST: US Spies & the Havana Syndrome — [UPDATE : Microwave Weapon?]

RELATED POST: NSA Spy’s Disease Caused by Secret Microwave Weapon?

RELATED POST: The Cuba Syndrome : Sonic Attacks or Microwave Weapons?

RELATED POST: CUBA — Secret Sonic Weapon or Mass Hysteria?

RELATED POST: Microwave Spying — How does it work anyway?

RELATED POST: DARPA to Resurrect Top-Secret “PANDORA Project”

RELATED POST: Havana Syndrome — Formal Testing Reveals that All Victims Have an Otolithic Abnormality

“The committee felt that many of the distinctive and acute signs, symptoms and observations reported by government employees are consistent with the effects of directed, pulsed radio frequency (Microwave) energy.” 

An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies

National Academies of Sciences (Aug 2020)

UPDATE (December 22 2020) — On October 3 2017, I coined the expression “Havana syndrome”. [Here is the tweet]

I immediately made the connection between the Havana attacks and the old story of the Microwave Syndrome.

I was also the first person to suggest that the noise “heard” by the victims could have been in fact an illusion caused by the exposure of the acoustic nerve to microwave — GSM like — radiations.

Three years later, the National Academies of Sciences concluded that microwave exposure is indeed the most plausible mechanism in explaining the Havana Syndrome.

RELATED POST: HAVANA SYNDROME — Where is the US National Academy of Sciences Report? [UPDATE : Press Review]

In examining plausible causes of these illnesses, the committee considered the possibilities of directed, pulsed radio frequency energy, chemical exposures, infectious diseases such as Zika, and psychological issues.  

Among the mechanisms the committee considered, directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases, especially in individuals with the distinct early symptoms.” 

(…)

“The committee found these cases quite concerning, in part because of the plausible role of directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy as a mechanism, but also because of the significant suffering and debility that has occurred in some of these individuals,” said committee chair David Relman, Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor in Medicine, professor of microbiology and immunology, and senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. 

“We as a nation need to address these specific cases as well as the possibility of future cases with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive approach.”

END of UPDATE

December 22 2017 — According to a report seen by the Associated Press, an FBI investigation found no evidence that embassy staff were the victims of “sonic attacks.”

“The report has not been released publicly. On Saturday, Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake confirmed to AP that the FBI had told him about the lack of evidence supporting a sonic attack theory.”

“They associated the onset of these symptoms to their exposures with unusual sounds or auditory sensations. Various descriptions were given: ‘a high-pitched beam of sound’; an ‘incapacitating sound’; a ‘baffling sensation’ akin to driving with the windows partially open in a car; or just an intense pressure in one ear,” Rosenfarb told the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere on Tuesday.

So the mystery continues. However, US officials said they have ruled out one hypothesis: “Mass hysteria.”

Professor James Lin, an expert in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research interests include: Biomedical instrumentation; Electromagnetic Engineering for Biology and Medicine; Imaging and Sensing; Bioelectromagnetics; Mobile Telecommunication Safety; Biological Interactions of Electromagnetic Radiation Including RF, Microwaves, and Lasers.

In a recent publication, Professor Lin suggests that microwave weapons could have generated the mysterious sounds heard by the US spies in Havana.

Specifically, Lin points out that:

“It is plausible that the loud buzzing, burst of sound, or acoustic pressure waves may have been covertly delivered using high-power microwave radiation, rather than blasting the subjects with conventional sonic sources.”

(…)

“Studies have shown that the auditory phenomenon occurs at a microwave radiation specific-energy-absorption rate threshold of 1.6 W/g for a single 10 μs wide pulse of microwaves aimed at the subject or subject’s head…”

Depending on the power density of the microwave pulses, the induced sound pressure could cause serious discomfort to the subject.

This type of microwave attack could explain the various reported effects such as ear-ringing, permanent hearing loss, balance trouble, dizziness, nausea and even brain tissue injuries.

Definition —  Radio frequency (RF) is any of the electromagnetic wave frequencies that lie in the range extending from around 20 kHz to 300 GHz, roughly the frequencies used in radio communication.

[INTEL TODAY — Please, understand that 300 GHz is NOT the upper limit of Non Ionizing radiations! Some countries — such as Belgium — have laws that are totally mistaken about this definition with numerous and grave consequences.]

The term does not have an official definition, and different sources specify slightly different upper and lower bounds for the frequency range.

Frequencies of 1 GHz and above are conventionally called microwave, while frequencies of 300 GHz and above are designated millimeter wave.

More detailed band designations are given by the standard IEEE letter – band frequency designations and the EU/NATO frequency designations. [Wikipedia]

Microwave Weapons — What do we know?

I have contacted Professor Lin who kindly agreed to help me reviewing the key facts in order to assess the plausibility of a microwave attack. The following facts are scientifically well established.

When exposed to a repeated sequence of RF pulses, a human subject could experience a sensation of “hearing” some type of sound, including noise.

For this to actually happen, the RF pulses must have a minimal power density. Various experiments conducted at several microwave frequencies and various pulse lengths (from 1 to 100 microsecond) suggest that an average power density of 0.1 milli Watt per cm2 is sufficient to trigger this effect.

The tone heard by the subject is – at least in good approximation – independent of the RF frequency. Instead, the tone would depend on the microwave pulse width, number of pulses, and repetition cycle or rate.

For a ‘normal adult’, the range of the ‘RF sounds’ that can be perceived will go from about 7 to 15 kHz. It does depend on the size of the head but also on the response of the subject to acoustic waves. People with high audio frequency hearing loss, would not hear such RF induced sound or experience acoustic effect.

According to US media, the sounds — described by the US diplomats — range from 7 to 10 kHz. That is absolutely compatible with the RF acoustic effect.

But is it Plausible?

Based on the facts explained just above, a microwave attack certainly appears possible. But is it plausible? How big would such ‘microwave gun’ need to be?

A US professor recently claimed that a RF weapon powerful enough to trigger the effect would have to be very large and thus unpractical.

Building a microwave pulse gun, however, is an implausible concept, according to Kenneth Foster, New Scientist reports.

“That theory is a real stretch,” the bioengineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania says.

“It would require something like a major airport radar transmitter with the subject’s head close to the antenna in its direct beam … I guess it is possible, but not likely.”

I find this argument quite dubious and confused. The effect was indeed discovered by people working near airport radars. But that does not imply that such large devices are needed!

Professor Lin strongly disagrees with Foster’s comment . [INTEL TODAY — There is no doubt that Prof. Lin is absolutely correct about this.]

“To my knowledge, he does not have any, “actual” experience in producing hearing through microwave auditory effects in animals or humans.

The experimental setup does not need to be large and it is not difficult to do, if one has a high power pulsed microwave generator. All other equipments are commonly available lab electronic instruments.

They can be arranged on a typical lab bench or small SUV-size automobile, to produce the phenomenon at a threshold hearing  level or trigger the microwave auditory effect.”

Brain Damage?

Finally, US Medical tests reveal that the brains’ victims have change in their ‘white tracts’.

“Whether it is the white matter, grey matter or any other brain tissue, potential damages to brain tissue would depend on several factors  such as frequency and intensity of pulsed microwave or RF radiation, and the intensity and duration of the shock wave or acoustic wave of pressure generated inside the head.

I would not expect any brain tissue damage at threshold hearing level.”

This final point is a bit puzzling but keep in mind that there is no way to know if these changes are actually related to the attacks or if they were caused by past experiences.

This is an important point considering that it is known that most — if not all — US diplomats who suffer from the Havana syndrome are actually spies who may have had a career in the military and may have been exposed to explosions for instance.

Documentary

The following video includes shots taken from Professor James Lin’s lab some years ago.

Professor Lin told me that this video was originally produced by a TV program entitled:  Ultra-Science III – Spies Like Us.

UPDATE (June 22 2018) —  On Thursday, the US State Department said that the number of US diplomats affected by the alleged “acoustic attacks” in Cuba has risen to 25.

In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that “one US diplomat working at the US Embassy in Havana was medically confirmed to have experienced health effects similar to those that were reported by members of the US Havana diplomatic community.”

The Cuban government was informed of this occurrence on May 29.

Mark Zaid, a US lawyer who specializes in national security cases, has been hired by eight of the victims within the past two months. He wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week asking for a meeting, but has not received a reply.

On June 20 2018, Mark Zaid tweeted:

“We represent numerous @StateDept diplomats & family members injured in #Cuba by hostile foreign attack. What is our Govt doing to prevent this in the future & more importantly to take care of our own injured personnel? I believe these attacks are not new.”

In his next tweet, Zaid wrote:

“Here is the @washingtonpost article by @ianshapira about our former @NSAGov client [Mike Beck] who was injured by a hostile foreign power #microwave attack. Connected?”

“My gut is that this has been going on for a while. The NSA has revealed to me in an unclassified setting that a foreign power has used a microwave weapon against people.”

Mike Beck is a retired National Security Agency counterintelligence officer who suffered a “potentially similar attack” in the 1990s when he traveled to an unidentified country.

Years later, Beck and a companion on the trip were found to be suffering from Parkinson’s disease. A confidential report convinced him that his illness was linked to a covert attack with a weapon that used microwaves, Beck told The Washington Post last year.

UPDATE (December 22 2019) — On October 3 2017, I posted a story titled : “US Spies & the Havana Syndrome“. We can probably agree now that it was an important story.

RELATED POST: Havana Syndrome — TIMELINE [UPDATE – October 2018]

Firstly, I coined the expression “Havana syndrome”. [Here is the tweet]

Secondly, I immediately made a connection between the Havana attacks and the old story of the Microwave Syndrome.

Thus, I was also the first person to suggest that the noise “heard” by the victims could have been in fact an illusion caused by the exposure of the acoustic nerve to microwave — GSM like — radiations.

Thirdly, I predicted a major cover-up because “the truth about a microwave attack would sent a wave of panic in the Telecom sector.”

What happened to this story — and my predictions — over the last two years?

For sure, the expression “Havana syndrome” is now widely used in the media and by the medical community. [For some obscure reasons, Wikipedia administrators are unsure about the origin of this expression…]

Microwave attacks?

On August 29 2018, Beatrice Golomb — MD, PhD, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine — concluded that reported symptoms and experiences of a “mystery illness” afflicting American and Canadian diplomats in Cuba and China strongly match known effects of pulsed microwave electromagnetic radiation.

On September 1 2018, the NYT published a long article titled:  “Microwave Weapons Are Prime Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers.

Cover-up?

Laura Hughes, an Air Force veteran, said her daughter Catherine Werner is struggling with the effects of traumatic brain injury after experiencing strange sounds and sensations at her apartment in Guangzhou, where Werner was a foreign trade officer until being medevaced out earlier this year. She’s calling on the US State Department to do more to solve the mystery.

RELATED POST: Havana Syndrome — Mother of U.S. Diplomat Speaks Out

Laura Hughes believes that rather than conducting a transparent investigation, some State Department officials have been “misinforming and they’ve been suppressing information.”

Laura Hughes is entirely correct. Recent events clearly demonstrate that there is an ongoing effort to ‘snowjob’ this scandal, as I have explained in this post:  Havana Syndrome — The Cover-Up Has Begun [UPDATE]

And I now believe that Wikipedia is already doing its part in the cover up. Assuming that I am right about it (just like I was right when I claimed ten years ago that Wikipedia was edited by the spooks), what does it tell you?

RELATED POST: Wikipedia & the Spooks — The Remake? [Update : ‘Philip Cross’ Identified?]

Bottom line — When I coined the expression “Havana Syndrome”, it was meant to link two stories: Havana Attacks and Microwave Syndrome.

In my opinion, microwave attacks remain the most likely explanation of the Havana Syndrome. I understand that the US government regards this technology as their prime suspect.

RELATED POST: Havana Syndrome — The Fifth Estate : Investigating what made the diplomats sick [Documentary]

I find it utterly dishonest that MSM and a few “academics” keep referring to “microwave attacks” as exotic explanations and science fiction when the technology — and the use — of microwave spying is in fact well documented.

RELATED POST: Havana Syndrome — What Are the Frequencies Used by US Intel for Microwave Spying? [2019]

RELATED POST: Microwave Spying — Leon Theremin & “The Thing” [UPDATE : CIA Microwave Cavities on display at the Crypto Museum]

This being said, I am glad that the US diplomats — both those stationed in Cuba and China — will receive benefits as part of a $1.4 trillion spending bill unveiled on Monday (December 16 2019), according to a Reuters article appearing this week on The New York Times website. [‘Havana syndrome’ U.S. diplomats get benefits in spending bill]

“There is still tremendous uncertainty surrounding the circumstances that led to these injuries, but that should in no way prevent our government from caring for those who have sacrificed so much in the line of duty,” said Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who wrote the provision and led the push for its inclusion in the omnibus bill.

The provision in the bill provides long-term, emergency care benefits to federal employees injured as part of their duties in Cuba and China. It allows their dependents to receive benefits if their primary insurance denies their claims and it would also allow government employees to be compensated if their injuries meant they could not work full-time.

I do not know if this provision also applies to former NSA employees who claim to have been injured during microwave attacks while deployed in a hostile country.

END of UPDATE

REFERENCES

Mass Hysteria or Microwave Weapons—What’s Behind the ‘Sonic Attacks’ On U.S. Diplomats — Newsweek

What Harmed U.S. Diplomats In Cuba? The Mystery Continues— NPR

These Americans suffered severe neurological disorders in Cuba. Now they have a lawyer — MiamiHerald

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Havana Syndrome & Microwave Weapons: Q&A with Professor James Lin [UPDATE 3]

One Year Ago — Havana Syndrome & Microwave Weapons: Q&A with Professor James Lin

Two Years Ago — Havana Syndrome & Microwave Weapons: Q&A with Professor James Lin

Three Years Ago — Havana Syndrome & Microwave Weapons: Q&A with Professor James Lin