Jump to full article: AP, 2006-02-05
Author: Amy Teibel ASSOCIATED PRESS
Intro: Last week, the Palestinian government failed to pay its monthly salaries because its coffers are empty. Continuing failure to meet the payroll could lead to widespread layoffs and ignite violence in already volatile areas.
As the Palestinians scrambled to find enough cash to keep afloat, the Palestinian attorney general said Sunday that senior officials in the authority may have stolen billions of dollars of public funds.
Attorney General Ahmed Al-Meghani told a news conference that his office is investigating dozens of corruption cases involving companies with ties to the Palestinian Authority.
"I cannot count the numbers because I'm not an accountant. It might be billions of dollars. When I end my investigation, I'm going to outline all the numbers in detail," Al-Meghani said.
He said 25 suspects have been arrested and international warrants have been issued for 10 others who fled the area. He declined to identify the suspects because the investigation is proceeding, but he said the probe included the Palestinian oil, tobacco and broadcasting corporations.
Government corruption was a major factor in Hamas' decisive victory over the long-ruling Fatah party in Jan. 25 Palestinian elections.
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