Austria is working with US authorities to probe a spate of suspected cases of an ailment known as "Havana syndrome" among US diplomats in Vienna, the Austrian Foreign Ministry says.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month announced a government-wide review into who or what has been causing what officials suspect were "directed" radio frequency attacks on US diplomats. Photo: AFP / Pool / Ken Cedeno
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month his country is conducting a government-wide review into who or what caused what it suspects were "directed" radio frequency attacks on US diplomats that resulted in various neurological ailments and that first emerged in the Cuban capital in 2016.
The New Yorker magazine said yesterday that, since US President Joe Biden took office in January, roughly two dozen US intelligence officers, diplomats and other officials in Vienna had reported symptoms similar to those of Havana syndrome, making it the second-biggest hotspot after Havana.
"We take these reports very seriously and in line with our role as host state we are working with the US authorities on jointly getting to the bottom of this," Austria's Foreign Ministry said in a short statement this morning.
"The safety of diplomats posted to Vienna and their families is of the utmost importance to us."
A State Department spokesperson said the United States was "vigourously investigating" the reported cases affecting US officials at the US Embassy in Vienna.
Once a centre of Cold War intrigue, Vienna is home to several UN agencies and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, meaning bigger countries such as the United States and Russia often have three ambassadors and a large diplomatic presence there.
That has long made Vienna a hub for diplomatic activity and spying, since many spies operate under diplomatic cover.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry's website lists 158 US diplomats as currently being posted in Vienna.
-Reuters