Intel community declassifies COVID-19 origins and Wuhan lab info.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence Releases Declassified Intelligence on Wuhan Lab and COVID-19 Origins

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has recently released declassified intelligence regarding the Wuhan lab and its potential links to the origins of COVID-19. This report, drafted by the national intelligence officer for weapons of mass destruction and proliferation, was coordinated with the intelligence community and comes shortly after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China.

Scant Details on COVID-19 Origins

While many were hoping for significant breakthroughs in understanding the origins of COVID-19, the 10-page report provided limited new information. It stated that most intelligence agencies believe that SARS-CoV-2 was not genetically engineered or laboratory-adapted, although some agencies were unable to make a definitive determination. The report also confirmed that COVID-19 was not developed as a biological weapon.

According to sources within the U.S. government, three individuals from the Wuhan lab, Ben Hu, Yu Ping, and Yan Zhu, were among the earliest to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. The report acknowledged that some Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) researchers experienced illness in the fall of 2019, with symptoms consistent with but not diagnostic of COVID-19. However, the report emphasized that this information does not definitively support or refute any hypothesis regarding the origins of the pandemic.

The report also highlighted that while some genetic engineering work on coronaviruses had been conducted at the WIV, there is no evidence linking this work to SARS-CoV-2 or its close progenitors. It further stated that the WIV had conducted extensive research on coronaviruses, including animal sampling and genetic analysis, but there is no indication that they possessed SARSCoV-2 or a close progenitor before the pandemic.

Additionally, the report mentioned that the WIV had engaged in genetic engineering projects involving coronaviruses, some of which could make intentional changes difficult to detect. It also noted that biosafety precautions may not have been consistently followed by WIV researchers when handling SARS-like coronaviruses, increasing the risk of accidental exposure to viruses.

Delayed Release and Congressional Mandate

The release of this report comes almost a week after President Joe Biden missed the congressionally mandated deadline for making the information public. The COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, passed unanimously by the House and Senate, required the declassification and release of intelligence on the Wuhan Institute of Virology and its connections to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 within 90 days. The law also instructed the Director of National Intelligence to provide information on researchers at the WIV who fell ill in autumn 2019.

ODNI’s Assessment and Congressional Investigations

The Wuhan Institute of Virology has long been suspected as a potential source of the global pandemic. The ODNI report clarified that the WIV is independent of the People’s Liberation Army but acknowledged collaborations between WIV personnel and scientists associated with the PLA on public health-related research, biosafety, and biosecurity projects. However, the report stated that no known viruses could plausibly be a progenitor of SARS-CoV-2.

Earlier this year, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed “moderate confidence” that COVID-19 originated at a Chinese government lab, while the Energy Department believed with “low confidence” that the virus started at the Wuhan lab. Former DNI John Ratcliffe, who strongly believes in the lab leak theory, criticized the CIA’s lack of information to reach a conclusion on the virus’s natural origin.

Furthermore, the report mentioned the collaboration between the Wuhan lab and EcoHealth Alliance’s Peter Daszak, who directed funding from the National Institutes of Health to the Chinese institute. A Trump State Department fact sheet released in January 2021 alleged that the Wuhan lab had conducted experiments involving viruses closely related to SARS-CoV-2 and engaged in gain-of-function research.

China’s Attempts to Shift Blame

Chinese officials, diplomats, and state-run outlets have repeatedly attempted to baselessly shift blame to the U.S. military since the pandemic began. However, the State Department clarified that investigating the origins of COVID-19 was not a primary focus of Blinken’s recent visit to China. Instead, discussions revolved around the pandemic’s economic impact and the Biden administration’s desire for China’s economic success.

Overall, while the ODNI report provides some insights into the Wuhan lab and COVID-19 origins, it falls short of delivering significant breakthroughs or conclusive evidence.

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