Arafat 'received anthrax' in post

Arafat has survived numerous assassination bids

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has escaped an assassination attempt, after being sent a package containing anthrax in the post, a former Palestinian minister has said.

Hani al-Hassan, until recently Mr Arafat's security advisor, said the package was intercepted by Palestinian security officials and did not reach the veteran leader.

Mr al-Hassan said the package originated in the Far East, and reached the Palestinian territories after passing through Israel.

Mr Arafat has survived more than a dozen assassination attempts over the past four decades.

Analysed

Mr al-Hassan said the package was found to contain a mysterious white powder.

"At first, we didn't know what kind of powder it was and we didn't waste time in having it analysed in a safe location," he told the Arabic Al-Hayat newspaper.

He said it was sent to a laboratory, where it was identified as anthrax.

Mr al-Hassan said it was the latest in a long line of attempts on Mr Arafat's life.

"I have witnessed 13 assassination attempts against President Arafat, in Beirut and other places. He escaped them all," he said.

He said the Palestinian Authority was unable to investigate where the package had come from because of Israeli restrictions on the Palestinian territories.