The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) created a seven-member team to investigate the origin of the coronavirus epidemic, in which the majority of researchers initially supported the theory of a laboratory leak – this is what an anonymous CIA informant claims.
However, six of them received a “financial incentive” from the agency to change their minds and support the theory of zoonosis, or infection from animals.
The majority of American intelligence agencies have so far concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic most likely began when SARS-CoV-2 was transferred from an infected animal host to humans, and the Wuhan animal market was identified as the site of the incident.
Brad Wenstrup, the Republican representative who leaked the testimony of the CIA informant and the chairman of the committee investigating the origin of SARS-CoV-2, gave the CIA a deadline of September 26 to submit documents and data. He showed particular interest in the pay and periodic bonuses of the members of the Covid Discovery Team. And he asked Andrew Makridis, the former director general of the CIA, to testify in a voluntary hearing by September 26.
The CIA denies the informant’s claims. The origin of the epidemic has long been a subject of debate, the scientific investigation is still ongoing, and the opinions of researchers and intelligence officers are divided on the issue, the FBI, for example, believes that a laboratory leak is likely.
The cover image is an illustration. Cover image credit: Jasmin Merdan via Getty Images
Leave a Comment