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Graffiti depicting late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City. Bernat Armangue/AP

Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned by radioactive polonium

Tests revealed at least 18 times the normal levels of radioactive polonium in his remains according to new station Al-Jazeera.

YASSER ARAFAT WAS poisoned with the radioactive substance polonium according to Swiss scientists who have carried out tests on his body.

The claim was made by news station Al- Jazeera America who say that the result “moderately supports” polonium as the former Palestinian leader’s cause of death.

The station have published the results of the tests which found at least 18 times the normal levels of radioactive polonium in his remains.

Arafat died in hospital in France in November 2004 at the age of 75, but doctors were unable to specify the cause of death. No autopsy was carried out at the time, in line with his widow’s request.

Some 60 samples were taken from the remains of the late Palestinian leader in November last year for a probe into whether he was poisoned by polonium. The samples were divided between the Swiss and Russian investigators and a French team carrying out a probe at the request of Arafat’s widow Suha.

image

(1995 photo showing President Bill Clinton gesturing toward Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, left, and PLO leader Yasser Arafat, right. Pic: AP Photo/Doug Mills)

Tests on these samples were concluded this week by Swiss and Russian forensic investigators with their reports now delivered to Palestinian authorities.

Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said that a Russian team appointed by the Palestinian Authority also handed in its report on  2 November and that its conclusions would be made public in due course.

Arafat’s remains were exhumed from his tomb in the West Bank city of Ramallah in November 2012 and samples taken, partly to investigate whether he had been poisoned — a suspicion that grew after the assassination of Russian ex-spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.

Additional reporting by © – AFP

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139 Comments
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Dec 17th 2016, 2:51 PM

    Another Asian species. Knotweed anyone?

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Dec 17th 2016, 4:29 PM

    Animals love eating knotweed and it’s very good for them. It was first introduced and grown as an animal feed. Then people realised it destroys walls and paths and buildings, spreads voraciously and it seems impossibly difficult to get rid of. Lots of weed killer is the only way.

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    Mute Cormac Ryan
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    Dec 17th 2016, 9:56 PM

    @Jack Bowden: here was me thinking it was gardeners, ya know the same ppl who released rhododendron on the countryside

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Dec 17th 2016, 10:23 PM

    It annoys me that you can buy rhododendron in garden centres and even supermarkets sometimes sell it. Laurel as well.

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Dec 17th 2016, 2:40 PM

    ‘Tis far from Mibuna and Oca you were raised. What’s wrong with parsnips and spuds? Sir Walter Raleigh must be spinning in his grave

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    Mute Jazz Buckler
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    Dec 17th 2016, 3:13 PM

    Yeah and it’s like totally far from “super” he was raised too. What’s wrong with the word “very”
    It’s not like we like live in California.
    Is “super easy” easier than “very easy”?

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    Mute Peter Quincy Taggart
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:29 AM

    People are being a bit harsh, he’s doing his best to try get people growing vegetables give the man a break. I will admit that maybe he needs to be more back to basics, I’ve no idea what mizuna is changes are I won’t read an article about growing it so maybe something better known like carrots would be a better starting point. I think people are afraid of failure and that’s why stops them gardening. I’m a throw seeds and muck and hope for the best kinda gardener and it’s done me fine so far.

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    Mute eastsmer #IRExit
    Favourite eastsmer #IRExit
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    Dec 18th 2016, 6:35 PM

    I am hoping to start small in the new year with a basic polytunnel

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    Mute diarmuid Connolly
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    Dec 17th 2016, 6:21 PM

    Am I the only one who noticed a total absence of Hang?

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