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November 7, 2013

Study: Arafat May Have Died of Polonium Poisoning 
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A forensic study has concluded former Palestinian President Yasser
Arafat may have been poisoned to death. Samples taken from Arafat's body
show he had 18 times the normal level of the radioactive material
polonium. The team of Swiss scientists who examined Arafat's remains
says their findings "moderately support" poisoning as the cause of
death. On Tuesday, Arafat's widow called for an investigation at
Arafat's Ramallah headquarters, where he fell ill one month before dying
in 2004. Speaking to Al Jazeera, forensic scientist David Barclay said
he believes Arafat was poisoned.

David Barclay: "If I was a judge and jury this is absolutely stone cold
certain. This is beyond any doubt, in my opinion, that it was polonium
that caused the death of Yasser Arafat."

According to Barclay, the polonium found in Arafat's body must have come
from a nuclear reactor. Israel has denied responsibility for Arafat's
death. Other experts have questioned the poisoning theory, saying Arafat
showed symptoms inconsistent with radioactive exposure.

 

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