News / More

Malaysia hunting more suspects over Kim’s death

Sunday, 19 March 2017 1:35 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 19 March 2017 2:13 PM ]

Royal Malaysian Police Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar addresses journalists on March 7, 2017. (AFP photo)

Malaysian authorities have announced that the hunt is continuing for more suspects in the controversial case related to the killing of the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Police said Sunday that more people have been added to the list of suspects that Malaysia had been hunting in relation to the poisoning to death on February 13 of Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur's airport.

Malaysia has already been seeking seven North Koreans in the case as officials believe four of them are now back in Pyongyang and three could have fled to the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

In a briefing with reporters, the national police chief, Khalid Abu Bakar, would not give further details on the identity and whereabouts of the new suspects in the case, but said that an "important person" was among those being pursued.

A man watches news reports of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in Seoul on February 14, 2017. (AFP photo)

“I do not want to say more than that. If I do, they may run ... but we believe there is an important person too,” said Bakar, adding, “I do not deny that there are more North Koreans involved in the murder of Kim Jong-nam. We will follow the legal channel to get them.”

Kim died within 20 minutes after two women, an Indonesian and a Vietnamese, smeared his face with the banned VX nerve agent. This comes as Malaysia’s investigation into the case badly affected relations with North Korea. The two countries have decided to expel ambassadors while scrapping visa-free travels for each other's citizens. The two countries' nationals have also been barred from exiting the other’s territory.

Malaysia has not directly accused Pyongyang of orchestrating the murder but many say the agent used in the deadly poisoning was a product of a sophisticated state weapons laboratory.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk