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Kim Jong-nam 'killed by VX nerve agent found on his face' Kim Jong-nam 'killed by VX nerve agent found on his face'
(about 2 hours later)
Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed by a highly toxic nerve agent, says Malaysia.Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed by a highly toxic nerve agent, says Malaysia.
Mr Kim died last week after two women accosted him briefly in a check-in hall at a Kuala Lumpur airport.Mr Kim died last week after two women accosted him briefly in a check-in hall at a Kuala Lumpur airport.
Malaysian toxicology reports indicate he was attacked using "VX nerve agent", which is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.Malaysian toxicology reports indicate he was attacked using "VX nerve agent", which is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.
Malaysia has not blamed the North Korean state for the death, but says North Koreans were clearly behind it. There is widespread suspicion that North Korea was responsible for the attack, which it fiercely denies.
It responded furiously to Malaysia's insistence on conducting a post-mortem examination and has accused Malaysia of having "sinister" purposes.
Malaysia's police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on Friday that one of the women Mr Kim interacted with at the airport had also fallen ill with vomiting afterwards.
He said the airport and areas the suspects are known to have gone to would now be cleaned.
Who was Kim Jong-nam?
The well-travelled and multilingual oldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, he was once considered a potential future leader. He has lived abroad for years and was bypassed in favour of his half-brother, Kim Jong-un.
Kim Jong-nam: North Korea's critic in exile
How did he die?
A woman was seen in CCTV footage approaching Mr Kim and wiping something across his face. He sought medical help at the airport, saying someone had splashed or sprayed him with liquid.
He had a seizure and died on the way to hospital.
Kim Jong-nam: Main players in mysterious killing
Who did it?
Malaysia says it was clearly an attack by North Korean agents. Four people are in custody, including one North Korean and the two women he interacted with at the airport. Seven North Koreans are being sought, including a diplomat.
North Korea's history of foreign assassinations
Mr Kim died on the way to hospital shortly after the 13 February airport encounter. His body remains in a hospital mortuary, amid a diplomatic dispute over who should claim it.Mr Kim died on the way to hospital shortly after the 13 February airport encounter. His body remains in a hospital mortuary, amid a diplomatic dispute over who should claim it.
North Korea responded furiously to Malaysia's insistence on conducting a post-mortem examination and has accused Malaysia of having "sinister" purposes. Mr Khalid said on Friday that the presence of the nerve agent was detected in swabs taken from Mr Kim's eyes and face by the Chemistry Department of Malaysia.
VX nerve agent: What to know
Malaysia's police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said the presence of the nerve agent was detected in swabs taken from Mr Kim's eyes and face by the Chemistry Department of Malaysia.
He said other exhibits were still under analysis and that police were investigating how the banned substance might have entered Malaysia.He said other exhibits were still under analysis and that police were investigating how the banned substance might have entered Malaysia.
"If the amount of the chemical brought in was small, it would be difficult for us to detect," Reuters quoted him as saying."If the amount of the chemical brought in was small, it would be difficult for us to detect," Reuters quoted him as saying.
VX nerve agent: What to know
Read more: How deadly VX could have killed Kim Jong-nam
Bruce Bennett, a weapons expert at the research institute the Rand Corporation, told the BBC it would have taken only a tiny amount of the substance to kill Mr Kim.Bruce Bennett, a weapons expert at the research institute the Rand Corporation, told the BBC it would have taken only a tiny amount of the substance to kill Mr Kim.
A miniscule amount of nerve agent could have been used, said Mr Bennett, which would have begun affecting his nervous system immediately, causing first shaking and then death within minutes. It would have begun affecting his nervous system immediately, causing first shaking and then death within minutes.
The two women were seen in CCTV footage approaching Mr Kim, with one wiping something across his face. Mr Khalid has previously said the fact the woman who accosted Mr Kim immediately went to wash her hands showed she was "very aware" that she was handling a toxin.
Mr Khalid has previously said the fact the woman immediately went to wash her hands showed she was "very aware" that she was handling a toxin. Mr Kim had been travelling on a passport under the name Kim Chol. North Korea has yet to confirm that the deceased was actually Kim Jong-nam.
She and another woman are in custody.
Several North Koreans are also wanted in connection with his death, including a senior official at the North's embassy in Kuala Lumpur as well as an employee of the state airline, Air Koryo.
Four other North Koreans named earlier in the case are thought to have left Malaysia already, while a fifth North Korean has been detained.
Mr Kim was once seen as a possible successor to his father, Kim Jong-il, but was bypassed in favour of his younger half-brother, Kim Jong-un, and spent many years living abroad.
He had been travelling on a passport under the name Kim Chol. North Korea has yet to confirm that the deceased was actually Kim Jong-nam.
On what seemed to be the first reference to the case in the North's state media, Pyongyang said on Thursday only that Malaysia was responsible for the death of one of its citizens.On what seemed to be the first reference to the case in the North's state media, Pyongyang said on Thursday only that Malaysia was responsible for the death of one of its citizens.
It also accused Malaysia of trying to politicise the return of his body and called "absurd" Malaysia's request for DNA samples for official confirmation of his identity. It also accused Malaysia of trying to politicise the return of his body, saying its insistence on securing DNA samples from Mr Kim's family before handing the body over was "absurd".
Who are the suspects?
Detained
Sought for questioning