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American Morning

Do New Documents Point Finger at Arafat?

Aired April 03, 2002 - 07:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The big question at this hour: Do new documents point the finger at Arafat? Israel says it has found a smoking gun directly linking Yasser Arafat's office to the suicide attacks, but Palestinian officials say it is only another Israeli fabrication.

For more on this now, we go to CNN's Bill Hemmer, who is on duty in Jerusalem -- good morning, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Paula, good morning. These are the documents, part of them anyway, written in Arabic, that the Israeli government claims links the Al Aqsa Martyr Brigades with the Palestinian Authority. This brigade, by the way, has taken responsibility for various suicide bombings in recent weeks, including the one in Haifa this past Sunday that killed 14.

In the papers, the Israeli government translates it to interpret the following: Money requests for martyr memorials. They talk about (UNINTELLIGIBLE) money. They talk about money for the production of charges and bombs, and in it they say, Al Aqsa is asking the Palestinian Authority for about five to nine bombs per week for various cells in the area. Also, calls for ammunition, et cetera.

In total, the Israeli government is claiming right now that the Al Aqsa Martyr Brigades was asking the Palestinian Authority, and an official that has been tied to the financial dealings with Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority, requesting $100,000 to build a factory to build weapons. In addition, $15,000 a month for operating charges.

Now, the Palestinians dismiss this. They say it's an absolutely fake and forgery. And in fact, yesterday, Saeb Erakat says the Palestinian Authority, led by Yasser Arafat, in no way condones any suicide bombings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: We condemn suicide bombings.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Could you justify it?

ERAKAT: Christiane, I am a father of four, four children. And it breaks my heart to see Israeli children killed, to see Palestinian children get killed. Nothing justifies what goes on out there in terms of suicide bombings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Saeb Erakat with Christiane Amanpour yesterday. Now, the official that is indicated throughout this sweep that apparently turned up the documentation, Paula, in Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah, his name is Fouad Shoubaki. His name is critical, because he is the one the Israelis charge (AUDIO GAP) that shipment of weapons coming in from Iran back in early January. That shipment was stopped, and at the time it was said that Shoubaki was out of the job and Arafat fired him. The Israelis claim he has been working ever since.

Meanwhile, the military operation, rather -- excuse me -- does continue in various parts of the West Bank. Last night, two more towns taken over by the Israeli military, Jenin one of them, about a half dozen right now throughout the area. Military activity does continue there -- Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: All right. Thanks, Bill, for that update -- appreciate it.

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