Abbas aide in sex tape scandal urged to quit

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"As sex tapes go, it's fairly tame — a man gets undressed in a bedroom, slides under the covers, plumps the pillows and calls to a woman to join him.

But the man is a top aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and a former Palestinian intelligence official who secretly recorded the scene alleges the aide tried to trade his influence for sex.

The footage of the aide, Rafiq Husseini, has sent shock waves through conservative Palestinian society since it was broadcast on Israeli TV earlier this week.

It has left the Palestinian leader scrambling for a response and his rivals from the Islamic militant group Hamas gloating.

Even though the Palestinian Authority has won international praise for cleaning up official corruption that was rampant under the late Yasser Arafat, Abbas' Fatah movement continues to be dogged by the perception that some of its leading officials pursue personal gain and pleasure over the national good."

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[Scurrilous]

1. Palestinian official suspended over sex scandal

<snip>

"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has suspended one of his top aides under investigation for allegations of being involved in a sex scandal.

Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, says a three-member committee will check out the conduct of Rafiq Husseini, accused by a former Palestinian intelligence official of seeking to trade influence for sex.

Footage of Husseini undressing, getting into bed and calling a woman to join him were broadcast on Israeli TV last week, sending shock waves through conservative Palestinian society.

The report said Husseini will be suspended until the committee announces its findings in three weeks.

Husseini has said he was the victim of a conspiracy by Israelis and some Palestinians to discredit him and Abbas."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100214/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_palestinians_sex_scandal