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International agencies hunt for Indian-origin man linked to Hezbollah pager blasts
Norwegian-Indian man Rinson Jose, missing since Lebanon blasts, faces charges for allegedly selling communication devices to Hezbollah.
An international warrant was issued against a Norwegian-Indian man Rinson Jose for his alleged involvement in the Hezbollah pager blasts that resulted in the death of 39, the Norwegian security forces confirmed, reported AFP. The man, who is reportedly from Kerala, is believed to be behind the sale of the communication devices used by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The devices, allegedly sold by Jose to Hezbollah operators, detonated across Lebanon last month. At least 39 people lost their lives while nearly 3,000 were wounded in an attack widely blamed on Israel, the news agency reported.
The man has been reported missing since the blasts, which led authorities to issue an international arrest warrant against him, Norwegian police said on Thursday.
International Warrant Against Rinson Jose
Norway's National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos) confirmed to AFP that it had sent an international notice, without identifying the man.
"A missing persons case has been opened and we have issued an international search for the person," Mari Elise Bunaes Myhrer of the Oslo police told broadcaster NRK.
When a person is missing abroad, Kripos would normally issue a global alert, or so-called "yellow notice", but could also contact its foreign counterparts directly depending on circumstances, its spokesperson told Reuters.
How Is The Indian-Origin Man Linked To Hezbollah Pager Blasts
According to Reuters, Bulgarian authorities launched a probe after it was reported by a Hungarian website Telex that Norta Global -- a company registered in Bulgaria by a Norwegian -- had imported the devices and then delivered them to Hezbollah.
This company was reportedly founded by Rinson Jose in April 2022.
Jose, 39, disappeared while on a work trip to the US during the time the blasts occurred and has been reported missing ever since.
When approached by the news agency Reuters on phone, Jose declined to comment on the pagers and hung up when asked about the Bulgarian business.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria's National Security Agency (SANS) said that the Norwegian company had nothing to do with the sales or delivery of the exploding devices.
