Experts exhume remains of Palestinian leader
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - The remains of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were exhumed from his grave on Tuesday so international forensic experts could search for additional clues to his death, Palestinian officials said.
The remains were taken from the massive mausoleum in the West Bank city of Ramallah where Arafat was buried and moved to a nearby mosque so Palestinian doctors could take samples from his bones, the officials said. Under Islam, only Muslims can handle a Muslim's remains.
The samples will be handed over to French, Swiss and Russian experts who have flown in for the exhumation and who will examine them in their home countries, the officials said. Earlier, samples were also taken from Arafat's bedroom, office and personal belongings, they said.
The Palestinian officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
The new investigation into Arafat's death was sparked earlier this year by the discovery of a lethal radioactive substance, polonium, on clothing said to be his.
Arafat died in November 2004 in a French military hospital, a month after suddenly falling ill. While the immediate cause of death was a stroke, the underlying source of an illness he suffered in his final weeks has never been clear, leading to persistent speculation in the Arab world that Israel poisoned him. Israel has denied such allegations.
The exhumation might not resolve the mystery. Polonium-210 decomposes rapidly, and some experts say it is not clear whether any remaining samples will be sufficient for testing.
The remains were taken from the massive mausoleum in the West Bank city of Ramallah where Arafat was buried and moved to a nearby mosque so Palestinian doctors could take samples from his bones, the officials said. Under Islam, only Muslims can handle a Muslim's remains.
The samples will be handed over to French, Swiss and Russian experts who have flown in for the exhumation and who will examine them in their home countries, the officials said. Earlier, samples were also taken from Arafat's bedroom, office and personal belongings, they said.
The Palestinian officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.
The new investigation into Arafat's death was sparked earlier this year by the discovery of a lethal radioactive substance, polonium, on clothing said to be his.
Arafat died in November 2004 in a French military hospital, a month after suddenly falling ill. While the immediate cause of death was a stroke, the underlying source of an illness he suffered in his final weeks has never been clear, leading to persistent speculation in the Arab world that Israel poisoned him. Israel has denied such allegations.
The exhumation might not resolve the mystery. Polonium-210 decomposes rapidly, and some experts say it is not clear whether any remaining samples will be sufficient for testing.
Somehow, some way, you can bet in the end the verdict will be: Â "The Israelis did it."
One of the most corrupt and evil men in history. The world is a better place without him. One can only hope that if they find out he was assassinated that they give a medal to whomever did it.
 @SeattleJoe You must be a product of the Reagan administration. This guy actually did a lot to try to broker peace but many wouldn't listen. You know Mandela, who everyone loves so much and actually given a peace prize, was also a terrorist according to U.S. laws?
 @Barlion Riiiiiight. He was a regular mother Teresa. But then all those suicide bombings under his watch, hmmm maybe not. All his broken promises where Israel gave them practically everything they asked for but no peace. But of course the main thing that the Israelis have not done is rolled over and died. That is the main thing that the "palestinians" want. You really should learn more of what is really going on over their. Try to see both sides. When you do you will see how evil this man really was.
If anyone ever needed to be assasinated, it was this guy. How many women and children did he send into Israel with bombs wrapped around their waist? This guy deserves much worse than death. Let God judge him now.
 @Magic 8 Ball But Israel killing Palestinians and committing atrocities is ok because they are doing to Muslims. Israelis Killing Palestinian children because their fathers are "suspected" of terrorist acts is fine with you. Israelis destroying civilian homes because one of their relatives just might, maybe, possibly be a terrorist is something you condone. One sided thinking like yours is the reason humanity is declining.Â
@Barlion Looks like nobody sees it your way. Israel legally owns the land, Palastinians don't. Israel doesn't open fire on Gaza or the West Bank until Palastinians start launching rockets at Israel first. Just observe who breaks the truce first.
 @Magic 8 Ball  @Barlion Like the saying goes:
"If the "Palestinians" lay down their weapons there will be peace."
"If the Israelis lay down their weapons their will be no Israel."
Barlion forgets, conveniently, that the Israelis absorb dozens or hundreds of rockets shot into their territory, suicide bombings etc so then after they can take it no longer they go after those doing it. Those doing it conveniently like to locate their weapons in civilian areas to purposely inflict casualties so the Israelis are blamed. Additaionally you can tell how brainwashed barlion is because he/she spewed the following idiocy: "sraelis Killing Palestinian children because their fathers are "suspected" of terrorist acts is fine with you. Israelis destroying civilian homes because one of their relatives just might, maybe, possibly be a terrorist is something you condone."
"international forensic experts could search for additional clues to his death"
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"The samples will be handed over to French, Swiss and Russian experts"
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Tells me that the world will never know. I smell the UN.
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I could care less how he died, but when the UN is involved, the short hairs on my neck stand-up.
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