CIA Leaks New Information About the Possible Origin of Corona Virus
- CIA has offered a new assessment suggesting that Covid-19 is "more likely" to have leaked from a Chinese lab than to have come from animals, though with "low confidence" in this determination
- The assessment, released by the CIA's new director John Ratcliffe, indicates a "research-related origin" based on available reports
- This hypothesis continues to fuel the ongoing debate about the origins of the pandemic
On Saturday, CIA offered a new assessment on the origin of the Covid-19 outbreak, stating that the coronavirus is "more likely" to have leaked from a Chinese lab than to have come from animals.
However, the intelligence agency cautioned that it had "low confidence" in this determination.
Source: Getty Images
Research-Related Origin
A spokesperson for the CIA explained that a "research-related origin" of the pandemic "is more likely than a natural origin based on the available body of reporting."
This decision marks one of the first assessments made by the CIA's new director, John Ratcliffe, who was appointed by Donald Trump and took over the agency on Thursday.
Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during President Trump's first term, has long favoured the lab leak theory, claiming that Covid-19 most likely came from a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Lab Leak Theory Gains Ground
The Wuhan Institute of Virology is located a 40-minute drive from the Huanan wet market, where the first cluster of infections emerged.
In an interview with Breitbart News published on Friday, Ratcliffe expressed his desire for the CIA to abandon its neutral stance on the origins of the virus and "get off the sidelines."
He emphasised the importance of addressing the threat from China and understanding the origins of Covid-19, which has claimed the lives of a million Americans.
Assessment Based on Existing Intelligence
Officials told US media that the new assessment was not based on new intelligence and predates the Trump administration.
The review was reportedly ordered in the closing weeks of the Biden administration and completed before Trump took office on Monday.
The assessment, based on "low confidence," indicates that the intelligence supporting it is deficient, inconclusive, or contradictory.
Ongoing Debate on Covid-19 Origins
There is no consensus on the cause of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some support a "natural origin" theory, which argues that the virus spread naturally from animals without the involvement of any scientists or laboratories.
The lab leak hypothesis has been hotly contested by scientists, many of whom say there is no definitive evidence to back it up. China has dismissed the lab claim as "political manipulation" by Washington.
However, the once controversial theory has been gaining ground among some intelligence agencies. In 2023, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News that it was his bureau's assessment that "the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident."
N100bn COVID-19 Intervention Funds
Legit.ng reported that the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein has been given a 72-hour ultimatum to submit a detailed report on the utilisation of the N100 billion COVID-19 intervention funds.
The funds were released by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to Ministries, Departments and Agencies between 2020 and 2022.
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Source: Legit.ng
