Bolonium
It has been reported that the Swiss lab that investigated some of the remains of Yasir Arafat found high levels of Polonium in his bones and other organic residue. By contrast, the Russian lab issued a statement Sunday that the levels found were too low to be significant, and these results differ from the Swiss findings. The French lab will not reveal its results except during a criminal proceedings.
The Swiss result is very surprising, since Po-210 decays with a half-life of 138 days. Therefore, 9 years after Arafat's death the most that could be expected to be in his remains would be a minute fraction of the original amount virtually undetectable. Unless the original amount was a tremendously high level of Po, it seems very unlikely that this final amount could be detected and certainly not as "high" levels.
Of course, the first culprit identified as the source of Arafat's poisoning was Israel. However, this is not the usual Israeli modus, they prefer to blow up the whole building or send in a squad of expert marksmen. Slow poisoning is not the Israel military way. Suha Arafat, his wealthy widow, has claimed several times in interviews that her husband was poisoned by someone in his inner circle. This makes sense because of the many delays and difficulties found in investigating his death, for example, why was he whisked off to a French hospital where he was kept incommunicado, even from his wife? Why were all his medications and personal effects disposed of immediately after his death? Suha Arafat lives in the lap of luxury in Paris and Geneva on the proceeds of her husband's personal accounts of billions of dollars, skimmed off the aid money given to the Palestinians over many years. But, the rulers of the PA, Arafat's personal assistants, at first refused to give Suha access to his accounts, and when they did she only received part of the proceeds. So she is mad at them.
Of course, the Palestinians will argue that whoever did poison Arafat, if indeed he was poisoned, may have been a close personal aide, but it was done at Israel's behest, as if Arafat had no personal enemies. That his close followers might have wanted to get rid of him, after all he had been there for too long, makes perfect sense. But, in the final analysis, who cares, Arafat is long gone. But his ghost lives on in this sordid tale of imaginary murder.
The Swiss result is very surprising, since Po-210 decays with a half-life of 138 days. Therefore, 9 years after Arafat's death the most that could be expected to be in his remains would be a minute fraction of the original amount virtually undetectable. Unless the original amount was a tremendously high level of Po, it seems very unlikely that this final amount could be detected and certainly not as "high" levels.
Of course, the first culprit identified as the source of Arafat's poisoning was Israel. However, this is not the usual Israeli modus, they prefer to blow up the whole building or send in a squad of expert marksmen. Slow poisoning is not the Israel military way. Suha Arafat, his wealthy widow, has claimed several times in interviews that her husband was poisoned by someone in his inner circle. This makes sense because of the many delays and difficulties found in investigating his death, for example, why was he whisked off to a French hospital where he was kept incommunicado, even from his wife? Why were all his medications and personal effects disposed of immediately after his death? Suha Arafat lives in the lap of luxury in Paris and Geneva on the proceeds of her husband's personal accounts of billions of dollars, skimmed off the aid money given to the Palestinians over many years. But, the rulers of the PA, Arafat's personal assistants, at first refused to give Suha access to his accounts, and when they did she only received part of the proceeds. So she is mad at them.
Of course, the Palestinians will argue that whoever did poison Arafat, if indeed he was poisoned, may have been a close personal aide, but it was done at Israel's behest, as if Arafat had no personal enemies. That his close followers might have wanted to get rid of him, after all he had been there for too long, makes perfect sense. But, in the final analysis, who cares, Arafat is long gone. But his ghost lives on in this sordid tale of imaginary murder.
posted by Jack Cohen at 10:54 AM
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