Arafat's Financial Advisor Muhammad Rashid: Arafat Has No Personal Property

The following are excerpts from an interview with Muhammad Rashid, the financial advisor to Yasser Arafat:

Muhammad Rashid: To my knowledge - and I am responsible for these words, the ailing brother Abu Ammar has no personal property anywhere in the world, not a tent, nor a house, nor a building, nor a farm. I have worked with President Arafat for the past 25 years and he has no bank account that could be called a personal account, in the name of Yasser Arafat.

In all honesty, I cannot imagine the period after the President. I maintain a deep faith in Allah and in the prayers of all the people worldwide for the President. I know nothing about a will, and I ask you to excuse me from talking about this issue.

Interviewer: Muhammad Rashid, are you worried about security on the Palestinian street?

Muhammad Rashid: No, I'm worried about the disappearance of the giant safeguarding Palestinian national rights. I'm worried that this giant who, in everyone's eyes, guaranteed [Palestinian rights]… I have faith in his colleagues and brothers, but Abu Ammar is Abu Ammar, and we all know this.