Yasser Arafat died of natural causes - Russian report

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: BBC

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died of natural causes, not radiation poisoning, Russian forensic scientists have said.

Their investigation was one of three carried out on his remains and items he had when he died in Paris in 2004.

Last month, Swiss scientists said they had detected high levels of radioactive polonium but could not say if it had caused his death.

A French inquiry is also said to have found he was not a victim of poisoning.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25518813

[MADem]

1. I dunno. He went down hill fast.

The French don't want any suggestion that they killed him, or allowed him to be killed--after all, he died on French soil.

The Russians, well, they lie sometimes. Just look at RT.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Since you mention it

here's the RT link :

Arafat died of natural causes – Russia’s medical agency.

Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat “died of natural causes. He was not killed by radiation exposure,” the head of Russia's Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA), Vladimir Uiba, has said. FMBA has not received any requests from the Palestinian authorities to conduct another examination of Arafat's remains, Interfax quoted Uiba as saying. The results of the examination have been accepted, and “even the Swiss canceled their statements and agreed,” he said, adding that “France confirmed our conclusions as well.” Palestinian authorities intend to continue the international investigation, despite the conclusions of Russian experts, Faed Mustafa, the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow, told RIA Novosti.

http://rt.com/news/line/2013-12-26/

Appears to say the same as the OP.

[MADem]

4. RT is the personal propaganda arm of Vladimir Putin.

So that's not terribly helpful!

And the two don't say the same thing AT ALL.

Here's what BBC said:

Yasser Arafat fell ill after eating a meal in his compound in Ramallah and weeks later was admitted to hospital in France, where he died.....The Vaudois University Hospital Centre (CHUV) in Lausanne reported its findings last month, on the ninth anniversary of his death, saying its results "offer moderate backing for the theory of poisoning".


However, Francois Bochud, the head of the Lausanne institute that carried out the parallel Swiss inquiry, told AFP news agency the Russian findings had no scientific foundation.

"The Russians are putting things forward without giving the slightest numerical value, without the slightest scientific argument. So for me it's empty - a political statement."

Palestinian ambassador to Moscow Faed Mustafa said investigations into the former Palestinian Authority president's death would go on.

And here's what Vladimir's Propaganda Arm said:

Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat “died of natural causes. He was not killed by radiation exposure,” the head of Russia's Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA), Vladimir Uiba, has said. FMBA has not received any requests from the Palestinian authorities to conduct another examination of Arafat's remains, Interfax quoted Uiba as saying. The results of the examination have been accepted, and “even the Swiss canceled their statements and agreed,” he said, adding that “France confirmed our conclusions as well.” Palestinian authorities intend to continue the international investigation, despite the conclusions of Russian experts, Faed Mustafa, the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow, told RIA Novosti.

Sounds like RT is, errrr....I think they call it LYING. But that is what they do best.

[dipsydoodle]

5. RT's was a re-report

from the same source as the BBC's - Ria Novosti. Its simply a statement of fact of what the Russian investigation found. Not much to lie about.

Doesn't change my own view that Arafat was murdered most likely by a neighouring country.

What else did you have in mind regarding previous lies ?

[MADem]

9. Why did RT lie and say the Swiss didn't disagree, when they plainly did?

Answer: Because Vladimir lies.

[2banon]

17. Thank you, that's what it seemed like to me.. a Report of a Report sourced by the BBC..

not that the BBC has more or less credibility than the NYT or RT. Every "news" source is a political arm of the State. Russia might have RT, I can't say cuz I haven't looked into the aspect of it. What I do know is that on the occasions when I listen/watch RT, I'm listening to a wide of range of topics that interest me. I don't recall ever hearing a report putting Putin or his policies in glowing light. Maybe I've missed those.

The U.S. on the other hand, every single mainstream "news" print source is either Corporate State sponsored or heavily leaned on by the Corporate State. Including PBS and NPR not just CNN etc. (FOX is the Neo-Conservative/Republican Party sponsored propaganda arm).

Yesterday, I woke up early on xmas morning hearing Cory Flintoff of NPR reporting on BBC's report of the content of Snowden's message, which was to be broadcast on British Channel 4 later on xmas day.

Well I knew about this message in advance of hearing about it on NPR, because I read about it here on du on xmas eve.. clicked on the link to channel 4's webpage, read the summation of Snowden's message before i heard Flintoff "reporting" on Snowden's msg.

I knew in advance (as did anyone else following this story) of Snowden's exact remarks. At some other point in my life time, when I trusted NPR, (a very long time ago) I would have taken at face value the statements of Cory Flintoffs "reporting" as fair, balanced and accurate, when he cited only the last half of Snowden's last sentence:

if it really wants to know how we feel asking is always cheaper than spying

as the summation of his entire message.


Now, I'm no longer shocked at the length of deception, or outright falsification on news reports NPR engages in frequently .. especially on ATC.

Now a fair and balanced summation report on Snowden's remarks should have at least included this statement :

“A child born today will grow up with no conception of privacy at all,” Snowden said. “They’ll never know what it means to have a private moment to themselves — an unrecorded, unanalysed thought. And that’s a problem, because privacy matters. Privacy is what allows us to determine who we are and who we want to be.”

That's a mighty significant difference to this reader.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. When did the Swiss "cancel" their statement?

[MADem]

10. They did it in Vladimir's pointed little head!

Which makes me wonder what the Russians had to do with the death of Yassir Arafat....

Starting to sound like they're protesting too much!

[dipsydoodle]

11. They didn't

The Swiss are sticking with he could have been murdered.

[Kelvin Mace]

18. That's what I thought

so the Russian's lie again.

Color me shocked.

And we are going to Sochi why again?

[dipsydoodle]

19. No

The OP states what I said.

"Swiss scientists said they had detected high levels of radioactive polonium but could not say if it had caused his death"

[Kelvin Mace]

21. I don't see that we are disagreeing

The Swiss didn't "cancel" their claim that he could have been murdered based on the evidence.

The Russians lied about the Swiss report being "cancelled".

[hlthe2b]

3. As did Alexander Litvinenko-- say the Russians

Sorry, i don't find the Russians to be particularly convincing on this or related matters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvinenko

[dipsydoodle]

6. I can't find anything in the link that says he wasn't murdered.

There is mention of Russia being proud of the death of a spy.

[Kelvin Mace]

7. Claims one of the chief suspects

if he was murdered.

Who to believe?

The Russians who have a history of of assassinating people in exactly that manner?

The French who have demonstrated their willingness to murder anyone causing them trouble (see the Rainbow Warrior bombing)?

The Swiss with no dog in the fight.

[former9thward]

12. There was no medical evidence for radiation poisoning.

There are observable symptoms, such as hair loss and skin discoloration. But Arafat did not exhibit any symptoms of radiation poisoning to the teams of medical specialists who examined him before his death. Unfortunately his widow refused to allow an autopsy. Had one been done there would not be questions now. It is speculated she refused the autopsy because it would show lesions on the liver indicating alcohol abuse. Since alcohol use is not condoned by Muslims that would mar his image.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Sad but true

an earlier autopsy may have helped prevent the subsequent argy bargy

[mitty14u2]

14. Arafat polonium findings confirmed by Swiss scientists

Arafat polonium findings confirmed by Swiss scientists

Swiss scientists have confirmed that tests show the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had high levels of radioactive polonium in his body.
However, they could not say whether polonium poisoning had caused his death in 2004.
Their report concluded that Arafat's remains showed levels of polonium 18 times higher than normal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24851883

Sharon: 'We may kill Arafat' 23 April 2004

Ariel Sharon issued an ominous warning last night that Yasser Arafat could be the next Palestinian leader to be in Israel's line of fire, when he reneged on a promise not to harm his old adversary.

In dramatic remarks certain to aggravate regional hysteria over Israel's targeted killings of Palestinian militant leaders, the Israeli prime minister said he had told President George Bush that he was no longer prepared to exempt Mr Arafat from physical harm.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/apr/24/israel


The Swiss said Iraq don't have WMD, Who do you believe?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

15. Him insisting on working in that bombed out office

couldn't POSSIBLY have affected his health....

[Festivito]

16. Looks like a white washed fence.

The Swiss still say polonium could have killed him, But in saying he had a stroke, are saying that he died of natural causes. As if the Radiation might not have something to do with starting a stroke. ...eyeroll... as if that means they retracted their statements, ... But notice they did not retract their findings.

The Russians would have supplied the polonium. Their statement has no science finding behind it. And they don't want to be telling anyone who they sold it to.

The French are still trying to save face.

I wonder how much it cost us taxpayers to have that title put on the article.

[idendoit]

20. Wonder what's in it for France.

While we know Russia is a source of polonium, I wonder if the French stockpile it, too. If the Swiss are calling them both out in public, I believe them.