According to the statement, the virus was finally ‘not man-made or genetically modified’.
“It is absolutely accurate that the intelligence community does not know exactly where, when or how the Covid-19 virus was initially transmitted, and that components basically coincided around two alternative theories. These scenarios are that they have naturally emerged through human contact with infected animals, or it was a laboratory accident, ‘Haines told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
CIA Director William Burns, who also appeared with other leaders of the intelligence agency on Wednesday, agrees with Haines’ remarks, adding that it is clear to analysts that the Chinese leadership was not fully or transparently involved with the {World Health Organization to work together. } which provides the kind of original complete data that would help answer the questions. “
“We are doing everything we can, and using all the resources we all have available in this panel to try to get to the core of it,” he added.
The director of the National Security Agency and head of General Paul Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone, noted that US cyber agencies are helping the effort and continue to gather and analyze information about the origin of the virus.
A source familiar with intelligence told CNN late last month that the intelligence community is currently not leaning in any way regarding the two theories.
“We will probably never know the truth, because even the Chinese do not know the truth, and it will be difficult for American intelligence to find out if the Chinese never do,” the source said. “The Chinese are NOT interested in learning the truth, so it’s hard to spy on them and find out what the truth is.”
The source also told CNN that there is increasingly strong evidence to suggest that the wet market was not the original source of the outbreak.
Another official from a country that is part of the Five Eyes intelligence sub-coalition agrees: the laboratory theory was not completely discounted because the Chinese do not have access.
China ‘an Unmatched Priority’ for Intelligence Community
In her opening speech at Wednesday’s hearing, Haines told lawmakers that China is an ‘unparalleled priority for the intelligence community’ and insists on reviewing global standards in a way that benefits Beijing by using different tactics.
She specifically warned that China has ‘substantial’ cyber capabilities that, if used at least, could cause localized, temporary disruption of critical infrastructure in the United States. ‘
Haines also warned during her short opening speech that global disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change and technological change are likely to cause more competition internationally and instability around the world. The reality ‘forces’ the intelligence community to broaden its definition of national security, she said.
“At no point was it more important to invest in our norms and institutions, our workforce and the integration of our work,” Haines said.
Withdrawal from Afghanistan will ‘reduce CIA’s ability to gather intelligence’
If the United States withdraws from Afghanistan – “when the time comes”, the CIA’s ability to gather information and act on potential threats will “decrease”, the agency’s director Bill Burns told the Senate Intelligence Committee said.
Neither al-Qaeda nor ISIS currently has the ability to hit the US homeland, Burns said, but ‘it is clear that our ability to keep the threat in Afghanistan in check from al Qaeda or ISIS in Afghanistan has benefited greatly. has at the presence of the US. and ground and air coalition military, fueled by intelligence by the CIA and our other intelligence partners. ‘
The CIA’s operations in Afghanistan have long depended on the traditional military presence there, and questions have revolved around what kind of intelligence and terrorism capabilities the United States could retain in Afghanistan after 9/11, as Biden promised to do.
When the US did withdraw, Burns said the United States had a series of [intelligence] capabilities, “some of which have already existed and others that will need to be developed to help the United States keep tabs on and disrupt any efforts by al-Qaida or ISIS to rebuild.
“All of this means that there is a significant risk once the US military and the coalition military withdraw, but we will work very hard on the CIA and with all our partners to try to give that kind of strategic warning to others in the US, the government, which enables them and us to address the threat once it begins to materialize, ‘Burns said.
Russian military builds ‘serious concern’
The Russian military build-up along the border with Ukraine, as well as on the Crimea, is a “serious source of concern” and could be a precursor to “limited military invasions” by Russia, Burns said on Wednesday. days.
Burns said the moves by the Russian military could be an intimidation tactic for Ukraine’s leadership, as well as a signal to the United States.
“The build-up has reached the point that, you know, you can also provide the basis for limited military invasions,” Burns told the committee.
It was part of Biden’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, Burns said in which Biden proposed a summit with Putin in the coming months.
Burns, a veteran diplomat who was ambassador to Moscow, joked that “most of my white hair came from service in Russia and has had to do with Putin’s Russia over the years.”