The death of Kim Jong-Nam: what we learned over the past day
What happened at the airport of Kuala Lumpur is reminiscent of the plot of a spy novel in which the intricacies of trying to understand not only the investigators and intelligence agencies, but also the world’s leading media.
BEIJING, 17 Feb. /TASS/. Malaysian police are still investigating the alleged murder of the brother of the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong-UN — Kim Jong-Nam, and continues to acquire new details. What happened at the airport of Kuala Lumpur is reminiscent of the plot of a spy novel in which the intricacies of trying to understand not only the investigators and intelligence agencies, but also the world’s leading media.
Identification Of Kim Jong-Nam
Earlier it was reported that the deceased had a passport under the name of Kim Chol, a native of Pyongyang. However, on the morning of Wednesday have lost hope, those who to the last assumed on February 13 at the airport of Kuala Lumpur were killed, Kim Jong-Nam, but someone else.
As reported by the South Korean cable channel Chosun, to establish the identity of the deceased, the Republic of Korea provided the government of Malaysia had South Korean intelligence fingerprints Kim Jong-Nam. Fingerprint examination showed that the victim is none other than the brother of the leader of the DPRK.
In the spirit of a spy novel
Immediately after the information about the death of Kim Jong-Nam appeared in the media several versions of his alleged killing. According to police, shortly before his death he managed to seek assistance to ground personnel with complaints of severe dizziness, telling that unknown splashed him in the face with some liquid, then disappeared.
According to another version, an unknown woman brought it to his face soaked in some substance over the cloth. South Korean media reported the attack using the poisoned needles. However, none of the dubbed versions have not yet found confirmation, that’s why all were looking forward to, when they release footage of the surveillance cameras.
As reported by the newspaper New Straits Times, alleged murderers of Kim Jong-Nam at the airport in Kuala Lumpur had five seconds to poison him. Two women for a long time followed by its object, choosing a convenient time when it will be around sparsely populated. Then one of them started a conversation with him, while another, standing behind the victim, poisoned him.
However, so far it is not known how the poison got into the body of Kim Jong-Nam.
After that the women left the terminal and disappeared in a taxi. “The whole operation was clearly planned and executed flawlessly, if not for the cameras, the attackers are unlikely to be able to establish”, — the newspaper quotes the representative of police.
“Look for the woman”
On Wednesday, Malaysian police detained the first suspected of involvement in the alleged assassination of Kim Jong-Nam. She was caught trying to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Vietnam. Arrested 29 years — during the search have failed the passenger was discovered a Vietnamese passport in the name of Doan thi Huong, 31 may 1988 year of birth.
On Thursday morning there appeared information that the Malaysian police arrested the second suspect in the alleged murder of the brother leader of the DPRK. The guards did not give any details about her personality, but later some of the details of the operation leaked to the media: 25-year-old girl was detained in one of capital hotels. With him she had discovered Indonesian passport.
Newspaper the Dong-a Ilbo, citing a source in the South Korean government reported that the suspect had intended to fly from Malaysia to the Republic of Korea: during the arrest, she had found a plane ticket to Seoul.
After dinner, the TV station Channel NewsAsia reported that the police detained the man whom suspect of communications with one of the alleged killers. Then came the information that he is not a “direct suspects” of involvement in the death of Kim Jong-Nam, but only “assists in the investigation”.
The detainee was a citizen of Malaysia, who works as a taxi driver.
He “gave” the guards caught at night in the hotel the second suspect, who was his “friend”.
In addition, he confirmed that the 25-year-old detainee is a citizen of Indonesia.
The court of Malaysia has banned a suspect of involvement in the alleged murder of the women to leave the country within seven days. According to the published statement of the court, they “detained to assist the investigation.”
Examination shows
The police from the beginning had high hopes for the results of forensic medical examination. The autopsy of the deceased on Monday, Kim Jong-Nam was held at the Central hospital of Kuala Lumpur in the presence of the staff of the Embassy of the DPRK in Malaysia, but doctors could not immediately establish the cause of death.
After that, the police decided to conduct a further examination to check the body for the presence of potent poisons and toxins. The samples were sent to the chemical Department of University Science Malaysia, it is expected that the results will be known not earlier than after seven days.
A police source told New Straits Times that during a forensic medical examination was not found “unnatural scents”, for example, from injections.
According to the newspaper, representatives of the DPRK Embassy in Malaysia opposed additional analyses and demanded the release of the body immediately after opening. However, Malaysian officials refused, declaring North Korean diplomats about “the need for additional research as there are signs of violent death.”
According to the Agency Kyodo, the North Korean side has approached Malaysia with a request to cremate the body of Kim Jong-Nam before the forensic medical examination.
Poison blame
Source Malaysian newspaper the Dong-a Ilbo in law enforcement bodies reported that the Malaysian authorities are inclined to the original version of poisoning Kim Jong-Nam. However, experts still can not agree whether you used a potent poison.
“On the one hand, it is almost instant death of Kim Jong-Nam, but on the other hand, in this case, had to suffer and airport staff, and physicians at the airport, and the police and paramedics — all those who had direct contact with the deceased”, — the newspaper writes. However, to date, no information that anyone in contact with victims sought medical help.
South Korean newspaper Zhongguo bao, citing a source in the government of the Republic of Korea reported that the autopsy of Kim Jong-Nam has shown signs of poisoning by a potent poison.
Kim Jong-Nam in his mouth was discovered the foam, which is a characteristic sign of poisoning with poison.newspaper Zhongguo bao
According to the newspaper, a toxic substance could be even more toxic than potassium cyanide. Kyodo also reported that the alleged murder weapon could be a poison-based chemical agents nerve agents of the type VX (“VX”). However, the Agency does not explain why in this case the poison didn’t hurt murderers themselves, as well as airport employees and medical staff.
Official sources are these versions not yet commented, as the Malaysian authorities are awaiting the results of additional tests.
As for the body of the deceased, the government intends to pass it not to the family, and the Embassy of the DPRK. According to Vice-Prime Minister of Malaysia Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, it will happen after completion of all necessary investigation procedures, because the exact cause of death “undetermined”.
Was there a guard
As reported by Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, the intelligence services of China with approximately 2000 tightly guarded living abroad, Kim Jong-Nam.
According to the publication, Beijing saw it as a political trump card that he could play in the event of political instability in Pyongyang. According to the Sankei Shimbun, it could be a new, alternative, Kim Jong Ynu leader, if in the DPRK, there would be some political change.
According to sources, the Sankei Shimbun, in recent years, Kim Jong-Nam lived alternately in Beijing, the Chinese enclave of Macau or Singapore, he in each of the cities had a family and children. Funds for life, he was allegedly provided to the company associated with China, says the publication. During his stay in China, according to the newspaper, Kim Jong Nam had enjoyed relative freedom but in Singapore or during visits to Malaysia it is tightly guarded directed from the Beijing group. According to South Korean intelligence, they also provide safety close to Kim Jong-Nam.
It remains unknown why he didn’t have protection in the Monday morning. As noted by the Sankei Shimbun, according to the video, in the air port was not noticed anyone who would like a guard.
Was this some sort of fateful coincidence or Beijing shortly before he took off guard with his protégé? All things are possible.
However, according to Kyodo, Beijing has repeatedly saved the life of Kim Jong-Nam, preventing several attempts on the life of his ward.
Anyway, the Chinese foreign Ministry on Thursday at the briefing, did not comment on reports that the Chinese intelligence agencies in the past have protected Kim Jong-Nam. “I have no information on this issue”, — said foreign Ministry spokesman China Geng Shuang, answering the question TASS.
The victim knew about the danger
Friends of Kim Jong-Nam refuted the information that he used protection. According to them, the victim knew that his life was in danger, however, preferred to travel without bodyguards.
One of the relatives of the deceased told the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post that the deceased rarely talked about the political system of the DPRK: the North Korean regime he did not approve, however, often joked about his fate of exile.
“He talked a little about his brother and the regime, although sometimes joked on this account”, — told his friend. He did not agree with the media that in case of political instability in the DPRK, Kim Jong-Nam would act as a alternative to the brother and become the new leader of the country as the direct heir of Kim Il sung and Kim Jong Il.
The interlocutor of the newspaper claims that the deceased had political ambitions. He did not seek to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Before moving to Macau, the eldest son of Kim Jong-Il has held several government posts in his country and oversaw issues of information technology.
At one time he was considered the most likely successor to his father at the head of the DPRK, however, fell into disgrace after trying to enter Japan on a fake passport in 2001, and has since lived in Macau.
As noted by his friend, the fears of Kim Jong-Nam for his life intensified after on the orders of Kim Jong-UN in December 2013 was executed his uncle Jang sung-Taek. However, he kept his composure, still not used the services of bodyguards and serious concern felt was for his family. Japanese newspaper NIkkei shimbun reported that in 2012 Kim Jong Nam allegedly even sent his brother a message, asking him for mercy.
North Korean footprint
As reported by radio Free Asia, citing a source in North Korea, North Korean diplomats several times came in contact with Kim Jong Nam and asked him to voluntarily return home.
The last meeting with the diplomats took place on 20 January in Macau, where lived a brother of North Korean leader. As reported in the report, Kim Jong-Nam at the time, allegedly “promised to consider” their offer.
In Pyongyang festival
Media of the DPRK still remain silent about the death of the eldest brother of the leader of country: Republic celebrated the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il.
The death of his son on the eve of the celebrations were not to overshadow the occasion.
This, apparently, explains the official silence of Pyongyang. According to local media, the Kim Jong-UN visited the Kumsusan memorial Palace and paid tribute to the memory of his father have put out there of the sarcophagus with his body.