WASHINGTON _ The White House does not believe the Cuban government is behind the mysterious sonic attacks against U.S. personnel but plans to pull American staff out of Havana as the number of cases climbs, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.
"No one believes that the Cubans are responsible," said one source, echoing comments from others who are closely involved in the situation. "All of the evidence points that they're not."
Sources would not say who U.S. intelligence believes is responsible.
The Trump administration will soon begin a major withdrawal of staff from the U.S. Embassy in Havana, boosting the number of Americans affected by this "sonic device" to 25 from 21, with reports of cases occurring in the last several weeks, according to two sources.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due to meet Tuesday with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, according to U.S. and Cuban officials, to discuss the attacks on American diplomats in Havana. The meeting, requested by Cuban officials, is the highest-level meeting between the two countries since Donald Trump was sworn into office in January.
While the Trump administration has been slowly rolling back the Obama-era policy changes that broke down barriers between the United States and the island nation, key components of the relationship remain in place. But the bizarre attacks have tested the relationship in new ways and raised speculation about whether Cuba was bringing back Cold War tactics or even working with a third-party government, such as Russia, which has the capability to use such technology.
Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the State Department, said Tuesday that there is still a lot that the administration doesn't know. But Nauert couldn't say whether she believes Cuba knows what actually happened.
"I don't know the answer to that," Nauert said. "They have been cooperative. I know they have helped in terms of the investigation and provided information. They've come to us in different instances and so I don't want to get ahead of what the secretary's conversations are going to be."
The planned staff withdrawal is not intended to punish the Cuban government but to protect diplomats and their families from the strange attacks, the U.S. sources said. The administration considered closing the embassy for a period, but is looking instead for a way to keep it open even with a skeletal staff.
In a speech to the United Nations last week, Rodriguez denied any Cuban involvement. He said the government has found "no evidence whatsoever" that could confirm the causes or the origin of the health problems reported by U.S. diplomats and their relatives and warned against politicizing the investigation.
"Cuba has never perpetrated nor will it ever perpetrate actions of this sort," he said. "Cuba has never allowed nor will it ever allow its territory to be used by third parties with that purpose."
Mark Feierstein, a former special assistant to Obama and NSC senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs, agreed that the issue should not be politicized. He said hardliners are likely to look at this as punishment, but he said the reality is the administration is right to put the safety of its diplomats and staff first until they know more about what is the cause.
"Any administration would have to consider the same steps," Feierstein said.
The diplomats affected have seen doctors and had medical tests and evaluations in the United States. University of Miami officials said they had been contacted by the State Department, but wouldn't share any details about possible treatment other than to say that school doctors have "consulted" with the department.
Brian Latell, former CIA senior analyst and now an adjunct professor at Florida International University in Miami, said the notion that Cuba was not behind the sonic incidents "doesn't make any sense." He said that reports out of Washington seem to indicate "that U.S. officials believe Cuban denials."
"If the Cubans didn't do it, who could have without their knowledge?" Latell said. "It sure is strange."
