Malaysia to sweep Kuala Lumpur airport for 'radioactive' material

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian authorities will sweep the international airport and other locations for radioactive material, the police chief said on Friday, following the murder of Kim Jong Nam in which VX nerve agent, a highly toxic chemical, was used.

"(We are looking to) sweep all locations that we knew the suspects went to. We will get the experts from the atomic energy department to go to the location and sweep it to see if radioactive (material) is still there," police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said.

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It was the first time police had mentioned "radioactive material" and he did not elaborate on what could "still" be there.

Kim, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, died after being assaulted at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13.

Read also: YouTube clip allegedly shows attack on Kim Jong-nam at KL airport

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjfm_XOxLOs[/embed]

Authorities found traces of VX, classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations, on the body.

Malaysian police looking for source of chemical

Malaysian police are investigating whether the VX nerve agent used to kill Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, was brought into the country or produced in Malaysia.

"We are investigating it," police chief Khalid told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

"If the amount of the chemical brought in was small, it would be difficult for us to detect."