Kim Jong-nam’s murder trial to lift the lid on bizarre airport assassination

PROSECUTORS say they have the evidence to prove two women were part of plot to kill Kim Jong-un’s half-brother in a sinister Cold War-style execution.

TWO women are set to go on trial over the Cold War-style execution of Kim Jong-un’s half-brother in one of the world’s most high-profile murder mysteries.

Kim Jong-nam, 45, died an agonising death on February 13 as he waited to board a plane to Macau at Kuala Lumpur airport. He was killed using the highly toxic liquid nerve agent VX – a chemical compound so deadly it is classified by the United Nations as a weapon of mass destruction.

Malaysian authorities described the killing as a brazen, public assassination that happened in a crowded airport. The brutal crime captivated global media attention and was clearly meant to send a message.

Indonesian woman Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese woman Doan Thi Huong have pleaded not guilty to murdering the half-brother of North Korea’s leader.

Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam (left) and Siti Ashyah of Indonesia (right). Picture: AFP

They arrived at the heavily guarded court in handcuffs and wearing bulletproof vests, and entered their pleas through interpreters as proceedings got under way.

Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad then read a statement giving details of the murder and said the prosecution had sufficient evidence to prove the women’s guilt.

“We will provide evidence that the dead victim was at (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) departure lounge when Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong approached the dead victim and swiped a poisoned liquid on the face and eyes of the victim,” he told the court.

“The evidence clearly showed that their action to swipe the poison known as VX caused the death of the victim. Expert evidence will be shown that the VX was the cause of death and the chances to save him were extremely slim.”

He said the women had carried out exercises with four other people before the murder to ensure they succeeded in their “common intention” of killing Kim.

Kim Jong-nam was assassinated using a deadly nerve agent. Picture: AFP

BRUTAL EXECUTION: The hidden message in Kim Jong-nam’s death

A South Korean spy agency initially said the death was part of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s five-year plot. A Korea University professor investigating the assassination — and who previously led a research arm with South Korea’s intelligence agency — recently told GQ it was all “part of a master plan.”

“Pyongyang wanted to send a worldwide message by murdering Kim Jong-nam in this gruesome, public way,” Prof. Nam Sung-wook said.

“Pyongyang wanted to horrify the rest of the world by releasing a chemical weapon at an airport.”

Whatever the reason for his death, Kim Jong-nam’s murder sparked a fierce row between North Korea and Malaysia. Both countries expelled each other’s ambassadors amid global alarm over the rogue nation’s atomic weapons programme.

The North has denied the allegations. Instead, it suggested Kim died of a heart attack and accused Malaysia of working with South Korean and other “hostile forces” in blaming Pyongyang.

South Korea has accused the North of murdering Kim Jong-nam. Picture: AFP

THE WOMEN CHARGED

Two women from humble backgrounds in Indonesia and Vietnam are accused of rubbing toxic VX nerve agent in Kim Jong-nam’s face. Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong, both in their 20s, are facing court over the charges.

Hung is now referred to as the “LOL assassin” after security footage appeared to show her lunging at Kim while dressed in a T-shirt emblazoned in big black letters, LOL, an acronym for laughing out loud.

Doan Thi Huong has become known as the LOL assassin after security camera footage went viral. Picture: Supplied

Malaysian police have also suggested the women were pawns in a North Korean plot to murder Kim, who was dead within 20 minutes of the attack.

The pair claim they were duped into believing they were taking part in a prank for a reality TV show have pleaded not guilty.

Alleged assassin Doan Thi Huong. Picture: Facebook

Defence lawyers said the real culprits have left Malaysia and that the women’s innocence will be proven in court.

“We are fairly confident that at the end of trial, they will probably be acquitted,” Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, a lawyer for Huong, told AFP.

Their only appearances since February have been at heavily guarded court dates, with the pair dwarfed by heavily armed police as they have been ushered into hearings wearing flak jackets and handcuffs in front of the world’s media.

Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong and Indonesian national Siti Aisyah, 25, are accused of murdering Kim Jong-nam. Picture: AFP

Police cars carrying Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong and Indonesian suspect Siti Aisyah enter the Shah Alam court house. Picture: AP

Journalists stand outside the entrance of the Shah Alam court house at the trial of two women accused of killing Kim Jong-nam. Picture: AP

The women are the only suspects in custody in a killing. Police say several North Koreans suspected of involvement left the country on the day of the attack and others were allowed to leave later in a diplomatic deal with Pyongyang. The women will face the death penalty if convicted.

The closely-watched trial is due to begin at 10am local time (1pm AEDT) in Malaysia’s High Court, just outside Kuala Lumpur, with the prosecution to start presenting its case after the women’s pleas. It is expected to last for about two months, after which the judge will decide if there is a strong case for the women to have to mount their defence.

WHAT KIM WAS DOING BEFORE HE DIED

Kim Jong-nam was the firstborn, illegitimate son of former leader Kim Jong Il, yet he reportedly fell out of favor in 2001 when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport, saying he wanted to visit Tokyo Disneyland.

He had been living abroad for years and at the time of his death was travelling on a North Korean diplomatic passport under the name “Kim Chol.”

Regardless of his reasons for visiting Japan, the scandal was nonetheless an embarrassment that revealed to the world that North Koreans travelled using fake passports, according to CNN.

Kim Jong-un celebrates the test launch of an intermediate range Hwasong-12 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Picture: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime, though Kim was not thought to be seeking influence over his younger brother. The pair are not believed to have ever met.

Kim had, however, spoken out publicly against his family’s dynastic control of the reclusive, nuclear-armed nation.

Until his death, Kim lived a lavish but subdued lifestyle, fearful of a younger brother who analysts say would always see him as a threat, analysts told CNN.