Litvinenko Redux – Exhume Arafat

Could Litvinenko have a connection with Arafat’s death? Radioactive polonium has been found in Arafat’s clothing.

Arafat’s symptoms in his decline were similar to those of Litvinenko’s.

The death was reminiscent of that of Yasser Arafat, who became ill with nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating dinner in his compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Oct. 12, 2004. The symptoms continued for more than two weeks before he was evacuated to France where he died on Nov. 11.

Doctors were unable explain his rapid decline and supporters accused Israel of having poisoned Arafat. Israel denied the allegation and no evidence of poison was ever found.


Litvinenko worked for the KGB and its successor, the FSB. In 1998, he publicly accused his superiors of ordering him to kill tycoon Boris Berezovsky and spent nine months in jail from 1999 on charges of abuse of office. He was later acquitted and in 2000 sought asylum in Britain, where Berezovsky also lives in exile.

In 2005 according to this article, Litvinenko named Arafat as a KGB agent.

The bloodiest terrorists of the world were or are agents of the KGB-FSB. These are and well-known Carlos Ilyich Ramiros, the nickname “Jackal” (he is condemned for terrorism in France), deceased Yassir Arafat, Saddam Hussein, Adjalan (he is condemned in Turkey), Vadi Haddad, the head of the service of external operations of the Popular front of releasing of Palestine, Hauyi, the head of the communist party of Lebanon, mister Papaionnu from the Cyprus, Sean Garland from Ireland and many others. All of them were trained in the KGB, received money from there, weapon and explosive, counterfeit documents and a communication facility necessary for carrying out of acts of terrorism practically worldwide.

Russian tycoon, Boris Berezovosky aka Platon Elenin, in whose house in London Litvinenko lived, said in 2003:

“If Israel, a tiny country with the most superb security in the world, can’t protect its people from suicide bombers and other terrorist acts, how is Russia, a vast country with an incompetent and impoverished security apparatus, going to do so?”

Will the fingerprint impurities in the polonium found on Arafat’s belongings turn out to reveal the same origin as that in Litvinenko, which the British authorities suppressed?

In 2007, Fatah accused Mohammed Dahlan of poisoning Arafat.

Top officials of Abbas’ Fatah Party issued a report Sunday contending that former Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan sent poison disguised as medicine to Arafat while he was in a Paris hospital.

They offered no evidence to back up their claim, other than to say Dahlan ordered Arafat guards to burn the vials in which the alleged poison was stored.

“We must kill him softly and throw him out from the PA Presidential palace, we must find an alternative leadership. I’m sure Mohamed Dahlan is qualified for this mission”. Moshe Ya’alon, ITF Chief of Staff

Arafat’s body might be exhumed, questions pondered about it, but the two state solution is beyond resurrection.

Related Links

Palestinians and Arabs have alleged Israeli agents poisoned Arafat. Some Palestinian Authority leaders have suggested former Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan assisted Israel in the alleged poisoning.
Arafat poisoned? Danny Rubinstein told us so

Litvinenko Revisited
Who dun it? Litvinenko
Meanwhile, Cheney goes to Saudia
Spies in the Sushi Bar
Luguvoy and the Timeline Change

After losing 15 citizens to suicide bombings in September 2003, Israel’s security cabinet decided to “remove” Arafat, without elaborating publicly on the precise action it planned to take. An Israeli newspaper quoted Dichter as saying at the time that it would be better to kill Arafat than exile him.

After polonium revelation, Israel’s PR hacks revive lies that Arafat was gay and died of AIDS

UK’s Litvinenko inquest suffers setback

Judge leading probe into death of ex-Russian spy in London upholds government request to withhold crucial evidence.

Litvinenko Revisited

This wikileaks cable ‘LITVINENKO ASSASSINATION: REACTION IN MOSCOW’ (1 Dec 06) reflects the views of the US ambassador, Ambassador William J. Burns, on the long-running Litvinenko Whodunnit, which I annotated several years ago.

The November 23 death by radiation poisoning of former FSB agent Aleksandr Litvinenko in London has spawned a welter of conspiracy theories in Russia. The media have variously traced Litvinenko’s demise to XXXXXXXXXXXX, suicide, Putin’s Kremlin, Putin himself, those determined to undermine Putin, FSB agents unhappy with Litvinenko’s alleged betrayal of their organization, those unhappy with Litvinenko’s cooperation with Israel-based businessman Nevzlin on the Yukos affair, and the United States or “other” countries. This message recounts a representative sample of speculation, much of it self-serving.

Another wikileaks cable, HAMBURG POLICE TRACK POLONIUM TRAIL (19 Dec 06) is also relevant, describing Kovtun’s movements.

Schindler explained German officials retraced Kovtun’s steps to and from his ex-wife’s home in Hamburg. Schindler said Kovtun left polonium traces on everything he touched – vehicles, objects, clothes, and furniture. German investigators concluded Kovtun did not have polonium traces on his skin or clothes; Schindler said the polonium was coming out of his body, for example through his pores. German authorities had tested the German Wings airplane that had taken Kovtun from Hamburg to London; no traces of polonium were found. Germany had wanted to test the Aeroflot plane that flew Kovtun to Germany, and had prepared to ground it upon its next arrival in Germany. Schindler said RUSSIAN authorities must have found out about German plans because “at the last minute” Aeroflot swapped planes; Schindler said he did not expect Aeroflot to fly the other plane to Germany any time soon.

UPDATE 13/12/2010

WikiLeaks cables: Russia ‘was tracking killers of Alexander Litvinenko but UK warned it off’

The memo contains an observation from US embassy officials that Safonov’s comments suggested Russia “was not involved in the killing, although Safonov did not offer any further explanation”.

Later the memo records that Safonov claimed that “Russian authorities in London had known about and followed individuals moving radioactive substances into the city but were told by the British that they were under control before the poisoning took place”.

The claim will be rejected in many quarters as a clumsy attempt by Moscow to deflect accusations that its agents were involved in the assassination.

Russia says it had nothing to do with the murder, but espionage experts claim the killing would not have been possible without Kremlin backing. Shortly before he died, Litvinenko said he had met two former KGB agents, Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, on the day he fell ill. Both men deny wrongdoing, but Britain has made a formal request for Lugovoi’s extradition following a recommendation by the director of public prosecutions.

For afficionados, here’s a list of our Litvinenko pieces, which may shed light on the redaction in the cable.

Who dun it? Litvinenko
Meanwhile, Cheney goes to Saudia
Spies in the Sushi Bar
Luguvoy and the Timeline Change