KYODO NEWS - Oct 4, 2017 - 00:05 | World, Urgent, All

A Malaysian court heard Tuesday in the trial of two women accused of murdering Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, that they were hardly, if at all, affected by the VX nerve agent that they allegedly smeared on his face with their bare hands to kill him.

A post-mortem report concluded that Kim died of VX nerve agent poisoning after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13 in what the police suspect was an assassination masterminded by North Korean agents.

On the second day of the trial of Siti Aisyah, 25, of Indonesia, and Doan Thi Huong, 29, of Vietnam, at Shah Alam High Court, a chemical pathologist from Hospital Kuala Lumpur testified that blood tests done on them showed that their cholinesterase enzyme level was normal while Kim's reading was low.

Pyongyang tried to stop autopsy of Kim Jong Nam, Malaysian court told

The pathologist, Nur Ashikin Othman, agreed with defense lawyers that the normal reading could indicate that they were never in contact with any VX nerve agent, but she said it could also mean they were exposed to only low amount or that it was washed off quickly.

The question remains as to why the two assailants could have walked away unaffected if indeed their bare hands had been coated with the deadly toxin.

Nur Ashikin said normal cholinesterase enzyme levels are between 5,320 to 12,290 units per liter, but Kim's reading was 344. Aisyah's level was 6,781 and Huong's was 7,163.

The enzyme affects neurotransmitters that send signals to muscles and glands, allowing them to contract and relax normally. VX nerve agent blocks the enzyme, resulting in continual contraction and causing symptoms like seizure, excessive salivation, vomiting and diarrhea.

The two women are on trial with four North Koreans, who are still at large, for the murder of Kim, the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

On Monday, the first day of their trial, they both pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers say they were duped by the North Koreans into thinking they were acting in a prank television show and had no idea who Kim was.

Leaked CCTV footage from the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport's budget airline terminal show two women coming from behind, one after the other, and placing their hands over Kim's face while he was standing near the check-in kiosk, and then quickly walking away.

Malaysian police mistook Kim Jong Nam as S. Korean, court hears

Airport clinic doctor Nik Mohd Adzrul Ariff testified Monday that Kim was in pain when he attended to him and could not answer him when spoken to. He later had seizure and his blood pressure was fluctuating wildly while his oxygen level was plunging.

When the doctor tried to open his mouth to insert a tube to pump in oxygen, he detected a foul odor.

"There was a lot of blood, saliva and vomit in the mouth which blocked my view to search for the trachea opening. So we had to suck out the liquid first before proceeding with the intubation," he said.

The doctor said he also administered 1 milligram each of atropine and adrenaline to boost Kim's heart rate.

Atropine is a known antidote for VX, Aisyah's defense lawyer Gooi Soon Seng pointed out during cross-examination, but the doctor said he was unaware at that time. The drug is also used to treat some types of slow heart rate and to decrease saliva production during surgery.

Once Kim's vital signs stabilized, he was sent to hospital.

According to the post-mortem report prepared by pathologists that was tendered in court, Kim was dead on arrival at the Putrajaya Hospital at 11 a.m., some two hours from the time he was attacked.

The report said VX was detected on swabs of the eye mucosa, his face and blood. Traces were also found on his T-shirt, blazer and bag.

"There was a significant drop in the blood cholinesterase enzyme level suggestive of an acute exposure to toxic substance such as organophosphurus compounds (cholinesterase inhibitors)," the pathologists said.

"Based on the post-mortem examination findings, supporting clinical history and positive laboratory investigative results, we are of the opinion that the cause of death is due to VX nerve agent poisoning following the acute onset of exposure," they concluded.

The report noted that Kim wore upper and lower dentures, and had tattoos all over his upper body.