NEW: @FBI believes the origins of the #COVID19 #coronavirus pandemic "most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan" per Director Christopher Wray
https://twitter.com/FBI/status/1630733743777300483
This first public comments from @FBI's Wray on the origins of #COVID19 comes just days after the @WSJ reported the @ENERGY Dept concluded with "low confidence" the virus spread as a result of a lab leak
The @FBI's assessment of the origins of #COVID19 are in line w/one of the two main hypotheses from the US intelligence community - first shared in August 2021
https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1431346589608693760?s=20
That August 2021 assessment noted the US intelligence community at the time remained "divided on the most likely origin"
“All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident”
“All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident”
In August 2021, 4 intel agencies “assess w/ low confidence” #COVID19 “most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected w/it …”
1 had “moderate confidence” 1st human infection most likely result of lab incident
The rest “unable to coalesce around either explanation”
1 had “moderate confidence” 1st human infection most likely result of lab incident
The rest “unable to coalesce around either explanation”
A more detailed, declassified assessment from @ODNIgov in October 2021 further concluded: "an initial small-scale exposure ... occurred no later than Nov 2019 w/the first known cluster of COVID-19 cases arising in #Wuhan, #China in Dec 2019"
Key point from the Oct 2021 @ODNIgov report:
"We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon"
"Most agencies also assess w/low confidence that SARS-CoV-2 probably was not genetically engineered" but 2 say "not sufficient evidence to make an assessment either way"
"We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon"
"Most agencies also assess w/low confidence that SARS-CoV-2 probably was not genetically engineered" but 2 say "not sufficient evidence to make an assessment either way"
Also from the @ODNIgov October 2021 report:
US intelligence "will be unable to provide a more definitive explanation for the origin of #COVID19 unless new information allows them to determine the specific pathway"
US intelligence "will be unable to provide a more definitive explanation for the origin of #COVID19 unless new information allows them to determine the specific pathway"
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