Arafat adviser 'suspected of embezzling millions of dollars'

A former adviser to late President Yasser Arafat is accused of embezzling tens of millions of dollars, the head of the PA anti-corruption commission said Wednesday. Rafiq Natsheh told Ma'an his commission sought an international arrest warrant for Muhammad Rashid after he failed to respond to earlier summons by the foreign and justice ministers. Rashid, who was an economic adviser to Arafat, is accused of embezzling money from the Palestinian Investment Fund by setting up front companies. The corruption czar said Rashid's case was transferred to the corruption court 10 days ago. He denied the momentum in the high-profile corruption case came after the defendant appeared on Al-Arabiya satellite TV last week. Natsheh said the court will rule on his case whether he appears or not, stressing that he was yet to be convicted. Natsheh's commission was set up by the Palestinian Authority in 2010 in an internationally-lauded effort to crack down on corruption. In early 2012, he told Ma'an the commission was chasing suspects accused of stealing Palestinian public funds who have relocated abroad, pending agreement with their host countries.