Washington: President Joe Biden on Friday signed a law that provided financial support for the victims of mysterious headaches and nausea suffered by US diplomats in what had been dubbed “Havana Syndrome”.
Havana ACT provides financial compensation for members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the CIA who suffer from brain injuries from what US officials can be directed by microwave attacks.
Dozens of cases have occurred at the US Embassy throughout the world, starting with a cluster in Havana, Cuba.
The cause of the disease has not been fully diagnosed and the identity of the attacker, if there is one, it has not been revealed.
“I want to thank Congress for continuing it with bipartisan without sound support, sending a clear message that we take care of themselves,” Biden said in a statement.
“Civil servants, intelligence officers, diplomats and military personnel worldwide have been influenced by anomalous health incidents.
Some struggle with weakening brain injuries that have limited their service career to our nation.” Senator Republic Susan Collins, the lead author of the law, said in a statement that the disease “Havana Syndrome” has hit more than 40 US staff in Cuba, starting in 2016 and tens of more elsewhere, including some on the ground.
A member of the CIA Director of the CIA William Burns has a similar symptom in India this month, during the trip there by the Head of Intelligence, according to US media reports.
Two US officials in Germany were also among the recent victims and New Yorkers reported that there were dozens of cases that had befallen US officials in Vienna, Austria, alone.
Collins said the new law would provide suffering assistance.
“Too many victims ‘Havana Syndrome’ must fight the bureaucracy to receive care for their weakening injury,” he said.
“For these victims, Havana law will ensure that they receive financial and medical support they get.
It also confirms our commitment to ensure that our government finds who is responsible.”