Two more suspects held over Kim killing

A still image from footage broadcast by Chinese state media is believed to show the second woman (in yellow top) suspected of involvement in the killing of Mr Kim Jong Nam.
A still image from footage broadcast by Chinese state media is believed to show the second woman (in yellow top) suspected of involvement in the killing of Mr Kim Jong Nam. PHOTO: CCTV 13 SCREENGRAB

KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia has detained two more suspects in the killing of Mr Kim Jong Nam, the estranged elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and tightened security at all entry points to prevent suspects from fleeing the country.

The Malaysian police detained an Indonesian woman yesterday morning and her Malaysian boyfriend on Wednesday evening, following that of a Vietnamese woman on Wednesday.

These came as details emerged yesterday of how Mr Kim Jong Nam was attacked by two women with a deadly chemical in less than five seconds, said The New Straits Times, which had seen closed-circuit television footage from the airport.

One woman stood in front of Mr Kim to distract him as he stood at the self-check-in kiosk at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2, while another, who was wearing a glove on her left hand, held him in a chokehold - and administered a chemical to his face.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that as Mr Kim was still holding North Korean citizenship, his body will be sent back to his homeland, as requested by the country.

With many unanswered questions over the attack, the independent NK News website reported that Mr Kim, who was in exile in Macau, could have been found because he apparently had a Facebook account, set up under "Kim Chol".

His second wife and their two children are not seen at their properties in Macau, South Korean daily Chosun Ilbo reported yesterday.

South Korea's spy agency said Mr Kim's immediate family members are under Chinese protection.

Malaysian police are investigating Mr Kim's death, which many analysts say is likely an execution ordered by Mr Kim Jong Un, who made his first public appearance yesterday after the death of his half-brother. A picture released by the North Korean Central News Agency showed the leader attending the 75th birth anniversary of the late leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang.

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The death of Kim Jong Nam, and the search for suspects and family.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 17, 2017, with the headline Two more suspects held over Kim killing. Subscribe