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| Palestinian officials: Israel only suspect in Arafat death | Palestinian officials: Israel only suspect in Arafat death |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Palestinian officials say Israel is the "only suspect" in the death of leader Yasser Arafat following a Swiss report that said his remains contained high levels of radioactive polonium. | Palestinian officials say Israel is the "only suspect" in the death of leader Yasser Arafat following a Swiss report that said his remains contained high levels of radioactive polonium. |
| The head of a Palestinian committee set up to investigate Arafat's 2004 death called it an "assassination". | The head of a Palestinian committee set up to investigate Arafat's 2004 death called it an "assassination". |
| He said investigations would continue "to confirm all the details and all elements of the case". | He said investigations would continue "to confirm all the details and all elements of the case". |
| Israel has repeatedly denied any involvement in Arafat's death. | Israel has repeatedly denied any involvement in Arafat's death. |
| Arafat's widow, Suha, has said she believes the latest report proves he was assassinated. However, she said her late husband had many enemies around the world and she could not directly accuse anyone. | Arafat's widow, Suha, has said she believes the latest report proves he was assassinated. However, she said her late husband had many enemies around the world and she could not directly accuse anyone. |
| The Palestinian leader died in a military hospital in Paris in 2004 after suddenly being taken ill at his presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. | The Palestinian leader died in a military hospital in Paris in 2004 after suddenly being taken ill at his presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. |
| "We say that Israel is the prime and only suspect in the case of Yasser Arafat's assassination, and we will continue to carry out a thorough investigation to find out and confirm all the details and all elements of the case," Palestinian committee head Tawfik Terawi told a news conference in Ramallah. | "We say that Israel is the prime and only suspect in the case of Yasser Arafat's assassination, and we will continue to carry out a thorough investigation to find out and confirm all the details and all elements of the case," Palestinian committee head Tawfik Terawi told a news conference in Ramallah. |
| It is not clear how the Palestinian investigators believe the poison was administered to Arafat, who was surrounded by guards and a close circle of aides at his compound. | It is not clear how the Palestinian investigators believe the poison was administered to Arafat, who was surrounded by guards and a close circle of aides at his compound. |
| The BBC's Yolande Knell, who was at Friday's hearing, said that in response to that question, the head of the committee said there had been a lot of interviews and he had "security information" but could not make details public at the moment. | The BBC's Yolande Knell, who was at Friday's hearing, said that in response to that question, the head of the committee said there had been a lot of interviews and he had "security information" but could not make details public at the moment. |
| A report by Swiss scientists said Arafat's remains contained 18 times the normal levels of polonium-210. However, they could not confirm it had caused his death. | |
| His remains were exhumed last year following tests on his belongings that suggested he could have been poisoned. | His remains were exhumed last year following tests on his belongings that suggested he could have been poisoned. |
| About 60 samples were divided between Swiss and Russian investigators and a French team carrying out an investigation at his widow's request. | About 60 samples were divided between Swiss and Russian investigators and a French team carrying out an investigation at his widow's request. |
| France began a murder inquiry in August 2012 after the preliminary findings of polonium by the Swiss scientists, who have been working with an al-Jazeera documentary crew. | France began a murder inquiry in August 2012 after the preliminary findings of polonium by the Swiss scientists, who have been working with an al-Jazeera documentary crew. |
| One Russian official said last month that no traces of polonium had been found. | One Russian official said last month that no traces of polonium had been found. |
| Our correspondent says some Palestinian officials have already called for a new international inquiry into Arafat's death. | Our correspondent says some Palestinian officials have already called for a new international inquiry into Arafat's death. |
| Scientists from the Vaudois University Hospital Centre (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland, had carried out a detailed examination of Arafat's medical records, samples from his remains and items he had taken into the hospital in Paris. | Scientists from the Vaudois University Hospital Centre (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland, had carried out a detailed examination of Arafat's medical records, samples from his remains and items he had taken into the hospital in Paris. |
| The biological materials included pieces of Mr Arafat's bones and soil samples from around his corpse. | The biological materials included pieces of Mr Arafat's bones and soil samples from around his corpse. |
| Prof Francois Bochud told a news conference on Thursday that the high level of polonium detected "by definition... indicates third party involvement... Our results offer moderate backing for the theory of poisoning". | Prof Francois Bochud told a news conference on Thursday that the high level of polonium detected "by definition... indicates third party involvement... Our results offer moderate backing for the theory of poisoning". |
| But he added: "Was polonium the cause of the death for certain? The answer is no, we cannot show categorically that hypothesis that the poisoning caused was this or that." | But he added: "Was polonium the cause of the death for certain? The answer is no, we cannot show categorically that hypothesis that the poisoning caused was this or that." |
| The scientists said they had been unable to reach a more definitive conclusion because of the time passed since Arafat's death, the limited samples available and the confused "chain of custody" of some of the specimens. | The scientists said they had been unable to reach a more definitive conclusion because of the time passed since Arafat's death, the limited samples available and the confused "chain of custody" of some of the specimens. |
| Polonium-210 is a highly radioactive substance. It is found naturally in low doses in food and in the body, but can be fatal if ingested in high doses. | Polonium-210 is a highly radioactive substance. It is found naturally in low doses in food and in the body, but can be fatal if ingested in high doses. |
| Arafat led the Palestine Liberation Organisation for 35 years and became the first president of the Palestinian Authority in 1996. | Arafat led the Palestine Liberation Organisation for 35 years and became the first president of the Palestinian Authority in 1996. |
| His official medical records say he died from a stroke resulting from a blood disorder. | His official medical records say he died from a stroke resulting from a blood disorder. |
| Suha Arafat said she had no doubt her late husband had been assassinated but refused to point the finger at Israel. | Suha Arafat said she had no doubt her late husband had been assassinated but refused to point the finger at Israel. |
| "I can't accuse anybody. Everybody wants to accuse Israel - I can't accuse - I can't jump into conclusion," she told the BBC. | "I can't accuse anybody. Everybody wants to accuse Israel - I can't accuse - I can't jump into conclusion," she told the BBC. |
| "Now the case is in the French jurisdiction, I wanted to document this crime - this crime I want it documented for history, actually." | "Now the case is in the French jurisdiction, I wanted to document this crime - this crime I want it documented for history, actually." |