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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: 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 . . .