The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
‘Suspects trained to poison leader’s brother’
Malaysia: Search on for two other North Koreans
Two women suspected of fatally poisoning the halfbrother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un were trained to coat their hands with toxic chemicals then wipe them on his face, Malaysian police have said.
But the North Korean embassy ridiculed the account of Kim Jong Nam’s death, demanding the immediate release of the two “innocent women” and saying there was no way they could have poisoned him.
If the toxins had been on their hands “then how is it possible these female suspects could still be alive?” demanded a statement from North Korea’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Police said the women – one of them Indonesian, the other Vietnamese – washed their hands soon after poisoning Mr Kim.
Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said Malaysian authorities are searching for two new North Korean suspects, the second secretary of North Korea’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur and an employee of North Korea’s stateowned airline Air Koryo.
Police said the substance used remains unknown, but it was potent enough to kill Mr Kim before he could even make it to hospital.
Mr Khalid said the women had practised the attack at two Kuala Lumpur shopping centres.
Police have already arrested four people in connection with the attack: a Malaysian, a North Korean and the two women. The Malaysian is to be freed on bail, Mr Khalid said. At least one of the women has said she was tricked into attacking Mr Kim, believing she was taking part in a comedy prank TV show.
Police are looking for another seven North Korean suspects, including the two announced yesterday. The embassy official and the airline employee are among three North Koreans believed to remain at large in Malaysia.
The four others are believed to have fled Kuala Lumpur shortly after the attack. Mr Khalid said authorities believe they are back in Pyongyang, and they provided the toxin.
Determining the cause of death has been hard. Malaysia says he did not suffer a heart attack and had no puncture wounds, such as those of a needle, but are awaiting lab reports.
Identifying poisons can be difficult, especially if a tiny amount was used. The case perplexes leading toxicologists who study murder by poison, and question how the two women could walk away unscathed after using such a deadly agent.
Mr Kim had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and south-east Asia. He is believed to have had at least three children with two women. No family members have come forward to claim the body.