OSLO/BUDAPEST/LONDON. Bulgaria and Norway have emerged as new focal points in the ongoing investigation into the origins of the deadly pager explosions in Lebanon that struck Hezbollah earlier this week. The attacks, which killed 12 people and injured over 2,300, have escalated tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, with security sources pointing to Israel as the main suspect behind the explosions.
The investigation is centered on how thousands of pagers, used by Hezbollah, were weaponized and detonated remotely. While the exact method and assistance involved remain unclear, authorities have possible leads tracing back to Taiwan, Hungary, and Bulgaria. A second wave of explosions on Wednesday, involving hand-held radios, further complicates the investigation.
One theory suggests that the pagers were tampered with after leaving factories, while another posits that Israel may have orchestrated the entire operation.
Bulgarian authorities confirmed on Thursday that they have launched an investigation into a company with potential links to the transaction. Although they did not name the company, local media reports point to Sofia-based Norta Global Ltd. According to a report by national broadcaster bTV, 1.6 million euros were spent on the sale of the pagers, which passed through Bulgaria and were later transferred to Hungary. Reuters has not independently verified this claim.
Attempts to contact Norta Global Ltd. were unsuccessful, as emails sent to the company were returned as undeliverable. The company’s founder, Rinson Jose, declined to comment and abruptly ended a phone call when asked about Norta’s involvement. Jose, based in Norway, works for DN Media, whose CEO Amund Djuve has alerted police and security services regarding the matter. “We are taking these matters very seriously,” Djuve said, confirming that Jose is traveling to the United States.
Meanwhile, Hungarian authorities are also involved, as pagers similar to those used in the attack were traced back to a Hungarian company, BAC Consulting. The company’s CEO, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, told NBC News that while her company collaborates with Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, which produced the pagers, she had no involvement in their weaponization. “I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong,” she said.
Adding to the complexity of the investigation, a Lebanese security source told Reuters that Hezbollah believed it was sourcing the pagers from Gold Apollo, based in Asia, and was unaware of any European connection. The source also suggested that Israel’s Mossad may have played a role, potentially using a European company to disguise its involvement. “It is possible that the Mossad created a European company,” the source stated.
As the probe widens, both Bulgaria and Norway’s security agencies are conducting inquiries. Norway’s domestic intelligence agency, PST, is aware of the situation but has yet to release further comments. Norwegian police have also initiated preliminary investigations based on the new information.
With multiple unanswered questions surrounding the attack, investigators continue to explore international ties, tracking the financial and operational networks that may have enabled one of the deadliest strikes on Hezbollah in recent years.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
