Chaos, jubilation and chants of ‘Kim Jong-nam’ as Indonesian villagers welcome home Siti Aisyah, ex-suspect in killing of North Korean leader’s half brother
- Siti Aisyah, who fainted during her excited homecoming, had previously been accused of assassinating Kim Jong-un’s half brother by smearing poison on his face
- But neighbours said Aisyah was a victim, and young village women like her were vulnerable to deception when they moved abroad
A chaotic crush of jubilant villagers and reporters greeted the young Indonesian woman who was freed after Malaysia dropped charges that she murdered the estranged half brother of North Korea’s leader in an airport two years ago.
Mosque loudspeakers blared as police guarding Siti Aisyah pushed their way through a mob to the house of a local parliamentarian in the Javanese village of Rancasumur where she grew up. A police official said Aisyah was exhausted and had fainted.
Earlier Tuesday she met Indonesian President Joko Widodo, just a day after being whisked out of Malaysia, reuniting with her parents and facing the onslaught of two news conferences.
In Rancasumur, residents said they had cried with joy when they heard on Monday that she had been freed. Excited children ran around the neighborhood chanting “Kim Jong-nam” — the name of the slain North Korean — and villagers held prayers to thank God for Aisyah’s freedom.
“We were sure sooner or later she would be freed because she is innocent,” said her aunt, Siti Sudarmi.
