Kim Jong-Nam Murder: Malaysian Police On The Hunt For Seven Suspects

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Police are on the hunt for another seven suspects to assist investigation into the death of Kim Jong-nam, the elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, last Monday. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim (left) said the suspects, all men, included four North Koreans who left the country on the day of the incident. He identified them as Ri Ji Hyon, 33, Hong Song Hac, 34, O Jong Gil, 55 and Ri Jae Nam, 57, but could not reveal their destination. The three other suspects included a 30-year-old North Korean man identified as Ri Ji U, he told a media conference at Bukit Aman here Sunday. On the four suspects who left the country last Monday, he said they arrived in Malaysia between last Jan 31 and Feb 7. "Investigations revealed that the four suspects were travelling on normal passport and not diplomatic passport and we are working with Interpol to locate them," he added. Meanwhile, Noor Rashid said Jong-Nam came to Malaysia on a private visit. On the three suspects detained in the case -- Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong, 28, Indonesian woman Siti Aisyah, 25, and a local man, Muhammad Farid Jallaludin ,26, Noor Rashid said they were in remand until next wednesday. Another suspect, North Korean Ri Jong Chol, 47, who was detained on Saturday would be in remand until this Friday. On the four suspects who left the country last Monday, he said they arrived in Malaysia between Jan 31 and Feb 7. "Investigations revealed that the four suspects were travelling with normal passport and not diplomatic passport and we are working with Interpol to locate them," he added. To a question whether Jong-nam's body at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary had been claimed, Noor Rashid said the body had yet to be claimed. "Hence, the police are giving two weeks for the next-of-kin to come forward to claim the body and to bring along with them any document to prove their family connection with the deceased," he added. On the cause of Jong-nam's death, he said the police were still investigating. Last Monday, Jong-nam was at the KL International Airport 2 at 8am to board a flight to Macau. About an hour later a woman suddenly covered his face with a cloth laced with what is believed to be poison. Jong-nam, who had used a passport bearing the name of Kim Chol, sought help at a customer service counter at klia2 and was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital but died on the way. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA