France opens murder inquiry into Yasser Arafat's death

In this Aug. 13, 2003 file photo, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, with tears in his eyes, after he was informed of the death of his sister Yousra Abdel Raouf Al Kidwah at his compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah. / AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, File

(AP) PARIS - French prosecutors opened a murder inquiry into the death of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday, his widow's lawyer said, after she and a TV investigation raised new questions about whether the Palestinian leader was poisoned.

Many in the Arab world have long suspected that Arafat was poisoned, and a Swiss lab's recent finding of elevated levels of polonium-210 - a rare and highly lethal radioactive substance - on Arafat's clothing has fed those claims.

However, the Institute of Radiation Physics said its findings were inconclusive and that only exhuming Arafat's remains could bring possible clarity. Palestinian officials have waffled on that matter - initially approving the exhumation and then saying the matter needed more study - only further fueling suspicions.

Arafat died in a French military hospital outside Paris in 2004 of what doctors have said was a massive stroke, but the Swiss lab's tests have renewed interest in his death. The findings were first broadcast by Arab satellite TV station Al-Jazeera, which approached the lab on behalf of Arafat's widow, Suha. She provided the lab with his clothing and other belongings.

After the results were released, Suha Arafat filed a complaint asking for a murder investigation. Her lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, confirmed on Tuesday that the prosecutor's office in Nanterre, the seat of the district where the military hospital is, has agreed to take up the matter. Next, a judge will be appointed to lead the inquiry.

Sur said in a statement that his client would not comment because she wanted to let the judge do his work.

"This is a good step forward, any step aimed at revealing the truth about Yasser Arafat's death is good," said Abdallah Basher, who heads a Palestinian medical committee investigating Arafat's death.

He added that experts from the Swiss lab would travel to the West Bank in the next few weeks to take samples from Arafat's remains - even though the matter of his exhumation is still in limbo. Arafat, who died at age 75, is buried in a mausoleum in the walled government compound where he spent the last three years of his life under Israeli siege.

Testing Arafat's bones for polonium-210 could offer the last chance to get to the bottom of Palestinian claims that their leader was poisoned, though some experts say it may already be too late for conclusive answers.

Scientists caution that polonium decays quickly and that an autopsy needs to be done quickly.

Although Palestinian officials have long accused Israel of being involved in Arafat's death, Israel has vehemently denied those charges.

"We heard about it in the media. It's not really our concern because the complaint is not lodged against Israel," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor. "If there is an investigation, we hope that it will shed light on this matter."

Suha Arafat's complaint does not name a responsible party, a common practice in France.

[NinthSt78]

France is doing a job right that many others have not done right. Furthermore, they are doing it in a timely manner.

[Ulgnud]

This terrorist died years ago. Now they want to investigate? Gay It's a little late for that now.

[AnnieDanny]

If he was poisoned, I always wondered if it was some of his own that did it. Seemed as if he was ineffective as a leader, more effective as a terrorist. And things had gotten kinda crazy toward the end, before he got sick, what with hiding in his headquarters. Seemed as if a lot of people didn't like him.

But on the other hand, a massive stroke is a very physical kind of ailment. An autopsy would certainly have confirmed that. So would all kinds of other tests such as cat scan. Don't know if they had MRI back then, I think they did. You can't fake a massive stroke.

[AmirofLaJolla]

I guess this "zionist censorship" fella is a known troll here that there is no "reply to comment" button to his diatribe!

[I_am_3rd]

Doesn't Polonium have a short half-life? He died 8 years ago. This is likely all a dog and pony show where nothing will be conclusive. Unless they have a reasonable chance to find unique daughter elements.

[keiththeklam]

He had peace in his hands with massive concessions from Israel then stonewalled the future of the Palestinians with a never-ending list of demands. What a piece of trash who never represented anything but terrorism.

[john92021]

It was before drones. He sent enough kids off to blow themselves up and was a terrorist responsible for a lot of deaths. Good that he died as a terrorist but it should have been sooner. You have to question why the French were protecting him.