A scientist in Norway gave himself brain damage after he tested a secret weapon on himself to disprove the existence of Havana Syndrome, it emerged.The unidentified govt researcher built a machine capable of emitting powerful pulses of microwave energy in an attempt to prove such devices were harmless to humans, The Telegraph reported.But after testing it on himself under strict secrecy in 2024, he suffered symptoms similar to those of the mysterious sickness that bedevilled US diplomats around the world.The Norwegian government told the CIA about the secret test and its results, according to The Washington Post, prompting at least 2 visits from Pentagon and White House officials.The first instances of the illness were reported in 2016, when diplomats stationed in the US Embassy in Cuba began suffering from unexplained cognitive symptoms, including extreme headaches, vertigo, memory loss and hearing loss.Since then, cases of Havana Syndrome were reported by diplomats and govt staff in more than 15 countries. The US govt calls such reports “anomalous health incidents”.The bizarre story supports the arguments of those who claim that the unexplained illness may be the product of secret “pulsed-energy” devices that deliver powerful beams of electromagnetic energy in short bursts.There was speculation that the US acquired such a machine following its capture of Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, on January 3. An anonymous account of the raid, purportedly from one of Mr Maduro’s bodyguards, claimed that a wave of sound knocked security staff off their feet, while also leaving them bleeding from the nose and vomiting blood.“Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,” the unnamed individual said in a purported interview shared by conservative influencers on social media.“We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.”Since then, Donald Trump, the US President, hinted at the use of such a machine.He told the New York Post: “The Discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it.“They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off. We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us.”Suspicion built in recent years that a foreign power, possibly Russia, bombarded American officials with microwaves and damaged their nervous systems.The Kremlin denied such claims, and no proof emerged that it was responsible for any of the reported cases of Havana Syndrome.Some commentators believe the illness arises as a result of a targeted sonic attack. Others put it down to stress, air pollution or chemical agents such as pesticides.In January 2022, an interim CIA assessment concluded that a foreign country was probably not behind Havana Syndrome.Following the 2024 presidential election, White House officials said they were not sure if the symptoms were caused by a foreign actor but believed it was plausible that “external factors” were responsible, The Washington Post reported.
