The first forensic tests on samples taken from yasser arafats corpse have shown unexpectedly high levels of radioactive polonium210, suggesting the palestinian leader could have been poisoned. The level was either 18 or 36 times the normal level depending on how one counts a normal dose. Through further research, i discovered that this was the first nuclear accident in. The standing narrative in the case in britain is that litvinenko was poisoned with polonium210, a rare radioactive substance, by two russian citizens, dmitry kovtun and andrey lugovoy. That is either 18 or 36 times the average, depending on the literature. Yasser arafat murdered with polonium, widow says cbc news. The former kgb agent is believed to have ingested polonium210 at a hotel in west london kashmira gander.
Polonium, apparently ingested with food, was found to have caused the death of former russian spy alexander litvinenko in london in 2006. Nov 06, 20 palestinian leader yasser arafat was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium, his widow suha said on wednesday after receiving the results of swiss forensic tests on her husbands. An examination of aljazeeras distortions about the alexander litvinenko case led to finding that aljazeeras blockbuster story that yasser arafat may have been poisoned by. Smart news keeping you current was yasser arafat poisoned by polonium. Jul 04, 2012 yasser arafat killed by radiation poisoning. Jul 08, 2012 with news breaking in al jazeera this week about the possible poisoning of yasser arafat by polonium, i thought it worthwhile to examine an interesting line in clayton swishers report, which refers to an accident in an israeli lab involving the material. Polonium210 that killed litvinenko was in uk before arrival. Palestinian president yasser arafat talks to the media in this september 4, 2004 file photo. The litvinenko inquiry a legal critique and alternative view. Following upon the assassination of alexander litvinenko in london in november 2006 by ingestion of polonium210 210po, a suggestion was made that arafat. The results of tests on arafat s remains moderately support the proposition that the death was the consequence of poisoning with polonium 210, said the 108page analysis posted on aljazeeras website.
One of the cases was the poisoning of aleksandr litvinenko, a former russian intelligence officer and close associate of fugitive russian tycoon boris berezovsky. The poisoning of alexander litvinenko and the return of the kgb. Traces of polonium210 have been found on clothing used by yasser arafat, swiss radiation experts have confirmed. Oct 15, 20 yasser arafat poisoned with polonium which also killed exrussian spy alexander litvinenko experts believe several tests on samples of bodily fluids contained an unexplained higher level of. Alexander valterovich litvinenko was a britishnaturalised russian defector and former officer. With news breaking in al jazeera this week about the possible poisoning of yasser arafat by polonium, i thought it worthwhile to examine an interesting line in clayton swishers report, which refers to an accident in an israeli lab involving the material. The litvinenko file is his account of the crime, which hit the headlines at the time it happened november 2006 because of the way in which litvinenko was killed he was poisoned by polonium210 and because, at the time of his death, litvinenko was living in exile in london. Poisoned by polonium is an extraordinary testament to a man whose incendiary allegations against his government might have had fatal consequences. Some experts have questioned whether arafat could have died of polonium poisoning, pointing to a brief recovery during his illness that they said was not consistent with radioactive exposure.
Arafat was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium, his widow suha said after receiving the. Palestinians have blamed israel for the death of yasser arafat after swiss forensic tests confirmed that he was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium mr. Many palestinians as well as his wife, suha, left have long suspected there was a plot to poison him. Dec 24, 2012 smart news keeping you current was yasser arafat poisoned by polonium. Alexander litvinenko news from united press international. The standing narrative in the case in britain is that litvinenko was poisoned with polonium 210, a rare radioactive substance, by two russian citizens, dmitry kovtun and andrey lugovoy. During his time in boston, lincoln, litvinenko wrote two books, blowing up russia.
In november, the body of yasser arafat was exhumed from beneath several feet of concrete to determine whether or not the. Yasser arafat poisoned with polonium which also killed exrussian spy alexander litvinenko experts believe several tests on samples of bodily fluids contained an unexplained higher level of. The death in london of russian expatriot alexander litvinenko, allegedly through polonium poisoning, has become a major part of the antirussian, antiputin narrative in the west. Alexander litvinenko died in 2006 of poisoning from polonium. Former russian spy alexander litvinenko, who had defected against the government and wrote two books accusing the russian government of wrong. Yasser arafat, who was the president of the palestinian national authority and chairman of the palestine liberation organization, died unexpectedly on 11 november 2004, 75 years of age, after a short period of illness.
Yasser arafat may have been poisoned with polonium, tests. Prof barclay said no one would have thought to look for polonium as a possible poison until the litvinenko case, which occurred two years after. The poisoning of alexander litvinenko and the return of the kgb goldfarb, alex on. The poisoning of alexander litvinenko and the return of the kgb updated edition. Has polonium210 been used to kill anyone before alexander. Polonium210, the wire service adds, is best known for causing the death of alexander litvinenko, a onetime kgb agent turned critic of the. Yasser arafats death linked to radioactive polonium live science. Jan 21, 2016 what is polonium, the rare chemical russia allegedly used to murder alexander litvinenko. According to us diplomats, litvinenko coined the phrase mafia state. Towards the end of the book, harding steps back from litvinenko and. But some experts have questioned whether arafat could have. The complicating factor is the relative ubiquity of polonium 210, the highly radioactive substance found in mr. The deadly radioactive element first hit the headlines when it was used to kill kgb agentturnedkremlin critic alexander litvinenko in london in 2006. Suha arafat, the palestinian leaders widow, received a copy of the report in paris on tuesday.
The litvinenko file filmmaker andrei nekrasov exposes the truth behind a crime that shocked the world and provoked a war of words between russia and england that continues to this day. Swiss scientists confirm arafat murdered by polonium. The results of tests on arafats remains moderately support the proposition that the death was the consequence of poisoning with polonium210, said the 108page analysis posted on aljazeeras website. Three or four years ago arafat was exhumed and samples were taken from his body, the coffin, and the soil in which he had been interred. Alexander litvinenko, a russian political dissident. There was a suggestion that po210 was used to poison yassar arafat.
Yasser arafat, right, died at age 75 in november 2004, a month after falling ill. Lugovoy and kovtun, who were school friends and worked previously for russian intelligence in the kgb and the gru, respectively. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Alexander valterovich litvinenko was a britishnaturalised russian defector and former officer of the russian fsb secret service who specialised in tackling organized crime. Whatever happened to arafat, there is a case from 2006 that shows just how. The team analysed 38 samples of arafats clothes and belongings and 37 reference samples which were known to be poloniumfree. Levels of polonium found on some of arafat s personal effects registered more than 20 times the dose to kill an average human being, al jazeera reports. Barclay said no one would have thought to look for polonium as a possible poison until the litvinenko case, which occurred two years after arafat s death. Yasser arafat poisoned with polonium, widow charges the. What is polonium, the rare chemical russia allegedly used to murder alexander litvinenko.
Yasser arafat poisoned with polonium which also killed ex. Lighting up the investigative path with polonium210. During his time in london litvinenko authored two books. Mar 11, 2015 litvinenko the polonium facts ft world. Mario scaramella, who had eaten with litvinenko, reported that doctors had told him the body had five times the lethal dose of polonium210. Toxicologists give details on polonium tests on arafat belongings. Without getting into the debate on how possibleprobable it is that any of these products were a source for the polonium that killed litvinenko, the simple fact that polonium 210 is exported from russia in its pure form to various locations, mainly the united states, for industrial application, rationally suggests its just as possible for the polonium that killed litvinenko to have gone missing after it left russia as before. Jan 21, 2016 what is polonium president putin probably approved litvinenko murder see the death of alexander litvinenko the murder of exrussian spy alexander litvinenko in 2006 in the uk was probably approved by president vladimir putin, an inquiry has found. Former russian spy alexander litvinenko, who had defected against the government and wrote two books accusing the russian government of wrongdoing, was poisoned with polonium210 in 2006. The cause of his death has since been debated, although several different theories concerning it have been suggested.
Yasser arafat died of polonium poisoning, dave barclay, a uk forensic scientist told al jazeera. A former fsb officer, and teetotaller, litvinenko was a fitness fanatic. The substance, also known as radium f, is very hard for doctors to detect once its in the body, which is why its used by spies and often crops up. They left more significant traces of polonium than litvinenko, indicating that they handled the radioactive material directly, and did not ingest it. Polonium210 is one of the most obscure, most bizarre, and yet most merciless of poisons, writes alan cowell in the terminal spy, a book about the litvinenko case. Palestinian leader yasser arafat was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium, his widow suha said on wednesday after receiving the results of swiss forensic tests on her husbands.
Nov 06, 20 yasser arafat may have been poisoned with polonium, tests show. What is polonium, the rare chemical russia allegedly used. Londonswiss scientists say theyve found evidence that palestinian leader yasser arafat may have been poisoned with polonium. Yasser arafat poisoned with polonium, tests show the irish times. Polonium likely planted on arafats belongings national. Yasser arafat poisoned with polonium, widow charges the forward. The litvinenko file is his account of the crime, which hit the headlines at the time it happened november 2006 because of the way in which litvinenko was killed he was poisoned by polonium 210 and because, at the time of his death, litvinenko was living in exile in london. Litvinenkos body and now in high levels in the body of an italian associate, who. Yasser arafat was poisoned using radioactive polonium.
Yesterday, the pa and scientists who studied the skeletal remains of yasser arafat confirmed full scientific report here that he was assassinated, poisoned with the highest dose of polonium ever recorded in a human being. Yasser arafat was killed by polonium israel or russia tantalizing test results raise key issue. Litvinenko was arrested the following march on charges of exceeding the authority. What is polonium, the rare chemical russia allegedly used to. What is polonium 210 poisoning drug used to kill litvinenko.
Jan 21, 2016 poloniums chemical properties made it the ideal secret weapon for the assassins of alexander litvinenko. Was yasser arafat poisoned with radioactive polonium. Theories about poisoning, diseases, and sabotage have swirled around yasser arafat since the palestinian leader suddenly fell ill in. Litvinenko, a former kgb official, converted to islam, joined the chechen rebels, and became an associate of boris berezovsky, the notorious russian oligarch wanted on charges of embezzlement in his home country. Dec 03, 2006 the complicating factor is the relative ubiquity of polonium 210, the highly radioactive substance found in mr. Litvinenko had ingested polonium210, a poisonous radioactive isotope. Yasser arafat may have been poisoned with polonium, tests show this article is more than 6 years old swiss scientists find levels of polonium 18 times higher than normal in first forensic tests on. It was pure chance that stopped their liberal use of polonium210. Palestinian leader yasser arafat was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium, his widow suha said on wednesday after receiving the results of swiss forensic tests on her husbands corpse. Palestinians have blamed israel for the death of yasser arafat after swiss forensic tests confirmed that he was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium mr arafats widow, suha. Several of the arafat samples were notably more radioactive than the controls, but not all. A 9 month investigation has revealed that palestinian president yasser arafat was likely poisoned with a radioactive element in 2004, causing his death. Seven years ago the kremlin critic and exspy alexander litvinenko.
Dec 12, 2017 the litvinenko inquiry a legal critique and alternative view editor the death in london of russian expatriot alexander litvinenko, allegedly through polonium poisoning, has become a major part of the antirussian, antiputin narrative in the west. Arafat isnt the only international figure believed to have been assassinated with polonium. Besides litvinenko, only two people left polonium trails. The level of polonium in yasser arafats rib is about 900 millibecquerels, barclay said. Yasser arafat may have been poisoned with polonium, as. Polonium210 that killed litvinenko was in uk before. The existence of the radioactive substance on arafats effects was first.
The substance was polonium210, a rare and highly radioactive isotope that a swiss team has discovered in yasser arafats exhumed corpse. Polonium210 is the same substance used to poison the russian dissident alexader litvinenko in london. Mar 16, 2018 there was a suggestion that po210 was used to poison yassar arafat. The scientists said they were 83 percent sure arafat was poisoned with the radioactive metal. Yasser arafat wasnt poisoned by polonium, russian probe. Forensic tests on yasser arafats corpse reveal he was fatally poisoned using radioactive polonium in 2004. An examination of aljazeeras distortions about the alexander litvinenko case led to finding that aljazeeras blockbuster story that yasser arafat may have been poisoned by polonium was itself a. In november 1998, litvinenko and several other fsb officers publicly accused their superiors of ordering the assassination of the russian tycoon and oligarch boris berezovsky. Scientists only identified it in litvinenko hours before his death. Nov 06, 20 palestinian president yasser arafat talks to the media in this september 4, 2004 file photo. The former kgb agent is believed to have ingested polonium 210 at a hotel in west london kashmira gander. Nov 23, 2006 alexander valterovich litvinenko russian. In the article, a group of swiss doctors suggested that arafat could have died of polonium poisoning.
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