Arafat body 'to be exhumed Tuesday' for poison tests

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories (AFP) - Palestinian officials said on Saturday they would exhume the body of their leader Yasser Arafat next week to see if Israel poisoned him with a radioactive isotope.

The controversial announcement came as a group of international experts arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah to take samples of the remains of the iconic leader's bones and clothing for further study in European labs.

"The tomb will be opened on (Tuesday) and experts will take samples the same day within a matter of a few hours," Mr Tawfiq Tirawi told reporters in Ramallah.

He said a reburial ceremony would be held with full military honours later the same day in Arafat's mausoleum at the heart of his Muqataa headquarters.