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WORLD NEWS Saturday 1 april 2017

Malaysia interviewed, cleared 3 N. Koreans before they left

reans in the case: four men killing and has slammed
who left the country the Malaysia’s investigation as
day of the attack, and the flawed and politically mo-
three who were holed up tivated.
inside the North Korean Em- North Korea has not even
bassy in Kuala Lumpur. publicly acknowledged
The three men who were that the victim was, in fact,
hiding in the embassy — in- Kim Jong Nam. Instead, it
cluding an embassy official refers to him as Kim Chol,
and a North Korean airline the name on the passport
worker — flew Thursday to he was carrying at the time
Beijing, where they were of his death.
seen at the airport Friday, “I’m sure they know very
presumably on their way well” who the man really is,
home. Khalid said Friday. He said
“(The) investigation into that on the day the victim
the murder is still ongoing,” died, the North Korean Em-
Khalid said Friday. “We are bassy identified him as Kim
still hoping the North Korea Jong Nam before insisting
authorities will hand over he was Kim Chol the next
to us the four North Korean day.
suspects we have named Khalid added that Ma-
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, left, and Malaysia Inspector General Police Khalid Abu Ba- earlier on.” laysia released Kim Jong
kar inspect a guard of honor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Khalid said Friday, March 31, that three That is highly unlikely. North Nam’s body after receiving
North Koreans who have been hiding out in their country’s embassy for weeks were allowed to fly Korea has denied having a request from his next of
home only after investigators cleared them of wrongdoing in the death of Kim Jong Nam.
(AP Photo/Vincent Thian) anything to do with the kin. q
EILEEN NG wait to question them,
Associated Press “even if it takes five years.”
KUALA LUMPUR, Malay- But on Friday, in the wake
sia (AP) — Malaysia’s po- of the larger political deal
lice chief said Friday that with North Korea, Khalid
three North Koreans who said authorities recorded
had been hiding out in statements from the men
their country’s embassy for and released them.
weeks were allowed to fly “We have obtained what-
home after investigators ever we wanted from
cleared them of wrong- them,” Khalid told report-
doing in the death of Kim ers. “We have allowed
Jong Nam. them to go.”
Malaysia and North Korea It was an abrupt turn-
struck a deal this week to around in a bizarre case
end a diplomatic stand- that is part diplomatic dra-
off over the Feb. 13 mur- ma, part murder mystery.
der of Kim Jong Nam, the Investigators say Kim Jong
estranged half brother Nam, who was in his 40s,
of North Korean ruler Kim was poisoned at the Kua-
Jong Un. la Lumpur airport by two
Although details of what young women wielding
led to the agreement were VX nerve agent, a banned
not released, it gave North chemical weapon.
Korea custody of the body Although Malaysia never
and allowed Malaysia to directly accused North
question the three men Korea of carrying out the
who were hiding in the em- attack, speculation is ram-
bassy. pant that it orchestrated a
Earlier this month, national hit on a long-exiled mem-
police chief Khalid Abu ber of its ruling elite.
Bakar had hinted that the Malaysian investigators
men had valuable intel- had said they wanted to
ligence, saying he would question seven North Ko-