http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/149275#.Tq8U13IVi-U
Tunisia Issues Arrest Warrant for Yasser Arafat's Widow
Tunisia has issued a warrant for the arrest of Suha Arafat, the widow of former PLO Chairman and chief terrorist Yasser Arafat.
Chana Ya'ar
Suha Arafat is wanted in Tunis in connection for her ties with the family of former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, according to the AFP news agency, which quoted Tunisian media. She has denied the charges.
“Tunisia issued an [international] arrest warrant against Mrs. Arafat on suspicion of involvement in cases of financial corruption with the family of Ben Ali's wife,” said a spokesman for the country's Justice Ministry.
Suha Arafat and the president's wife, Leila Trabelsi, went into business together, setting up an international school in the city of Carthage.
The widow of the late terrorist chief, who died in 2004, became a Tunisian citizen after her husband's death.
However, friction developed between the two women, and in 2007, Suha Arafat's citizenship was revoked and she was declared persona non grata and forced out of the country. She owns a home in Malta, according to media reports.
Both Ben Ali and Trabelsi have since been convicted in absentia by Tunisia's transitional government of theft, corruption and other charges.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145093#.Tq8VYHIVi-V
Tunisia Quickie Trial Unites Ben Ali and His Opponents
Even former Tunisian President Ben Ali's opponents have condemned the quick trial and conviction of Ben Ali and his wife.
Aryeh Ben Hayim
After a six-hour trial, a Tunisian court sentenced the country’s ex-president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, and his wife, Leila Trabelsi, to 35 years each in prison and fines of nearly $66 million.
In the process, the Tunisian authorities have temporarily succeeded in uniting the deposed president and those who ousted him last January.
Bten Ali's opponents claim that they were not afforded the opportunity of chronicling for the historical records all the ex-president's crimes. In any case, they say, the short six-hour trial was reminiscent of dictatorial regimes and not the promised democracy.
The trial reflected the fact that with all the talk about Tunisia originating the Arab spring, the government and the judiciary are still honeycombed with functionaries from the former regime.
Ben Ali, for the moment, is safely ensconced in Saudi Arabia, a country that will presumably ignore Tunisia's request for extradition. His lawyer called the trial a joke and said that therefore, the only proper response is laughter.
The authorities have replied that such a rapid trial is legal and as far as the crimes of the ex-president, this was just the appetizer. Ben Ali will still face charges on drugs, firearms and the theft of archaeological relics. For other crimes he will face a military tribunal - provided of course that he is pried away from Saudi Arabia.
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