Targeting Americans (2022) | 60 Minutes Archive
In a Nutshell
Since 2016, over 1,000 U.S. officials and families have suffered unexplained brain injuries—symptoms like vertigo, nausea, disorientation, and memory loss—from suspected directed energy attacks (likely pulsed microwaves) in locations including Havana, Vienna, China, London, and White House grounds, affecting figures like Olivia Troy, Miles Taylor, and NSC staff. Medical experts confirm vestibular/auditory damage, with portable weapons feasible from nations like Russia, China, or the U.S., though CIA investigations rule out a single foreign campaign and find no hard evidence linking incidents. Officials urge urgent action amid early dismissals as psychosomatic, emphasizing the breach of U.S. security norms and risks to top leaders.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Since 2016, US government officials overseas and their families have reported sudden unexplained brain injuries with symptoms of vertigo, confusion, and memory loss. The CIA, FBI, and State Department are investigating a theory that some officials were injured by an unseen weapon. Incidents reported in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Senior national security officials stricken in Washington and on White House grounds.
Olivia Troy was homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to Vice President Mike Pence. Served in Pentagon, deployed to Iraq, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Counterterrorism Center. Worked in 19th century Eisenhower Executive Office Building beside West Wing. In summer 2019, descending stairs toward White House, felt physically struck: piercing feeling on right side of head, vertigo, unsteadiness, nausea, disorientation. Steadied on railing, feeling continued past West Wing entrance. Felt like paralyzing panic attack, thought brain tumor or stroke. Inside security perimeter, went down steps, past West Wing, down West Executive Avenue (presidents' parking lot), through Secret Service gate to staff parking in ellipse south of White House.
It was like this piercing feeling on the side of my head... I got like vertigo. I was unsteady. I felt nauseous. I was somewhat disoriented.
About a year later, similar sensations couple times walking to car on ellipse: vertigo, dizziness, depth perception issue, felt like falling into ground. Did not report initially due to denial, concerns for security clearance and career. Reported for first time after interview.
There is a human aspect of it of shame and do you really want to admit you're sick? Especially as a member of the intelligence community.
Senior National Security Council member stricken November 2020 on same steps by West Wing. Incident first reported in New Yorker; official anonymous. Described to John Bolton: disorientation, ringing in ears, inability to function, couldn't speak or think clearly, taken to emergency room. Still recovering over a year later, headaches and symptoms, diagnosed with two medical conditions from attack, outpatient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
That was a very debilitating attack and similar to what others have reported.
Miles Taylor, deputy chief of staff then chief of staff at Trump DHS, overseeing 250,000 personnel in aviation security, border security, cybersecurity.
Late night April 2018, woke in Capitol Hill row house apartment to chirping sound like cricket or digital sound. Looked out window at 3:00-3:30 a.m., saw white van with brake lights on, sped away. Episode lasted 7-10 minutes. Next day felt off, not ready for work, sick. Five weeks later, repeated: off balance, out of it, concussion-like symptoms. Happened before trip to Israel on congressional delegation to meet Benjamin Netanyahu on cybersecurity.
In 2018, aware of more senior US official (cabinet level in Trump administration) with similar episodes at residence.
To me this said five alarm fire we may have ongoing activity targeting US government officials here in our country.
Recent injuries in Vienna ahead of VP trip to Vietnam; in India during 2019 CIA director visit; during Trump 2019 London visit, two John Bolton national security staff ill in hotel floor occupied by White House personnel.
Struck me as being pretty good evidence of a deliberate attack.
I don't think there's any other hypothesis when you begin to look at the number and the pattern.
Months later, one London staffer overcome again walking dog in Washington area.
Robin Garfield, Commerce Department official: hit repeatedly in China with wife and two children, daughter falling multiple times. Evacuated, enrolled in State Department treatment at University of Pennsylvania. During Philadelphia treatment year, hit again: wife sprinted to check children after extremely loud painful sound. Moved to hotel, 2:00 a.m. strange vibrations in bodies and sound. Checked children: both thrashing in beds asleep, heard distinct water-rushing sound next to their heads. Reported to FBI. Now posted abroad, working on balance, eyesight, memory.
This is the most difficult aspect... the children who've been impacted both mine as well as many others. I personally know parents of eight other children... balance issues, trouble finding words, stuttering, vision challenges manifesting in classroom.
Early reports dismissed as psychosomatic, infection, pesticides, old sports injuries, or cicada sound.
It was rough... we were kind of shoved aside and they wanted it to go away.
Anonymous first case from 2016 US embassy Cuba: struck frequently at home at night. First time: neighborhood dogs barking in chorus, loud sound filled room, head slowly crushed, severe ear pain like sharp pencil poking eardrum, blacking out. FBI early report speculated mass hysteria. Brain injuries disabled him, retired at 36. Uses weighted vest for balance, service dog for walking and vision loss (legally blind in one eye due to brain wiring, not eye itself).
It's not the eye, it's the wiring.
I'm tired of the gaslighting... I'm watching new colleagues... coming back a shell of their former selves. We need to help them and we need to stop this.
CIA task force zeroed in on ~two dozen inexplicable cases from ~1,000 possible. Led by CIA officer who helped find Osama bin Laden. CIA Director William Burns: met affected officers and families, stories powerful, compelling, heartbreaking. Incident in India fall during his visit, escorted staff to medical evaluations. Tripled full-time medical personnel, streamlined Walter Reed access, new partnerships, more case managers, investigative progress.
In my first week as director, I began dozens of meetings with affected officers and family members.
Dr. David Realman, Stanford professor, led government panels: clear evidence of injury to auditory and vestibular system (inner ear for sound/balance to brain signals). Subset with acute sensory event: abrupt intense pressure/vibration in face/head, sometimes sound.
Former Cuba official recorded sound (byproduct, not cause): continuous, changed with location, dissipated/returned.
That to us was something we had never heard of... deserved special attention.
Most likely pulsed electromagnetic energy: focused microwave beam.
James Benford, physicist, microwave authority: high power microwave weapon, portable from suitcase to tractor trailer, longer range with size. Transmits through van walls, home walls, glass, brick.
It's been developed widely in perhaps a dozen countries. Primary: US, Russia, China.
Implications: loss of norms, humans affected seriously.
CIA interim report: no evidence of massive global campaign; unlikely foreign actor (including Russia) conducting sustained worldwide campaign. Not single cause for >1,000 incidents since 2016; no link to foreign state actor, external device, or mechanism.
We're not at a position yet where we can offer hard evidence that would connect all those dots. But... my promise is that I am absolutely committed to exhausting every alternative.
John Bolton: threat to highest government levels, e.g., West Executive Avenue inside White House gates. Could disable president, advisers, commanders.
I would much rather focus on finding out the answer now rather than later when it may be too late.
Miles Taylor: message they can strike without retaliation, line crossed into US shy of warfare.
Burns: national security not in danger of incapacitation; White House grounds safe; take each incident seriously, governmentwide effort. No evidence of hostile actor in DC yet. Profound line if proven.
Biden raised with Putin in Geneva summer; Russians deny. Secret Service no comment on White House security. Iron gates on West Executive Avenue erected 1951 after Truman assassination attempt; 70 years later, evidence gates breached by invisible threat.
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