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from the different-kind-of-sonic-boom dept.
State Department orders nonessential diplomats and families out of Cuba following mysterious attacks
The US State Department is pulling out all families of employees and nonessential personnel from Cuba, after a string of mysterious attacks against US diplomats.
Several US officials tell CNN that 21 US diplomats and family members became ill after apparent sonic attacks. The American embassy will continue to operate with a 60% reduction in staff. The officials said the US will stop issuing visas in Cuba effective immediately because of the staff reductions and the decision is not described as a retaliatory measure. Officials say there will still be consular officials in the embassy available to assist US citizens in Cuba.
The State Department is also issuing a travel warning, urging Americans not to travel to Cuba because they could also be at risk as some of the attacks against diplomats have taken place at hotels where Americans stay, a senior State Department official told reporters Friday.
Also at the Miami Herald, BBC, and NYT:
Some of those attacked have suffered significant injuries, with symptoms including hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, balance and visual problems, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. But despite an intensive investigation by the F.B.I., the cause and perpetrators of the attacks remain a mystery, with some experts speculating that some kind of sonic weapon or faulty surveillance device may have been at fault.
Related: US Embassy Employees in Cuba Possibly Subjected to 'Acoustic Attack'
(Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday September 30 2017, @10:19PM (5 children)
I suspect it's biological, and probably all the Cubans have built up an immunity to it.
Could also be water contaminated by stuff nobody tests for. You leave an embassy locked up for decades, then start living there again and wonder what is in the pipes that haven't moved water in all that time.
How hard is it to detect an actual sonic attack? a few microphones and an osiloscope ?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Saturday September 30 2017, @10:22PM
It's not clear to me that there was an ongoing string of attacks. If I read it right they are still responding to what happened months ago (see previous Soylent article).
There's another way to detect a sonic attack: with your ears. It's too late by then.
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(Score: 3, Insightful) by RamiK on Saturday September 30 2017, @11:07PM (2 children)
Not sure how it is in Cuba, but in most African embassies, the water goes through reverse osmosis and ultra-violet with different faucets getting tested periodically as samples are being sent to labs states-side. So, once medical issues started they would at least have protocols in place and would look more thoroughly at the samples.
My guess is it's an FBI power grab where-by they're speculating sonic attacks to force the state department to deploy surveillance all over the embassy.
compiling...
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday September 30 2017, @11:17PM
That could just make it worse!
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 01 2017, @11:15AM
What do you think they do all day long in an embassy? Spy. There probably is no more room for more gadgets.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Sunday October 01 2017, @04:42AM
"How hard is it to detect an actual sonic attack? a few microphones and an osiloscope ?"
I'm kinda thinking the same thing - but, which microphones? I suppose you need to monitor both ultrasonic and subsonic - would something like this be sufficient? http://www.earthworksaudio.com/microphones/m-series/m50/ [earthworksaudio.com] Or, are these "weapons" further up or down the sound spectrum?
I would expect before our people make accusations, that they have actually detected some kind of sonic assault. A number of people unexplainably get sick, so we ASSume that the commies are causing it? There are too few details to make any kind of judgement, IMHO.
How close is the embassy to the sea? Did they consider mermaids, sirens, and leviathan? Maybe there is a super intelligent octopus planning on world domination, and he's relying on sound that humans can't detect? Mmmm - octopus. Now I'm hungry . . .