OSLO, Norway: Rinson Jose, a Kerala-born Norwegian businessman, and his company Norta Global have been implicated in the sale of pagers connected to explosions in Lebanon.
These blasts, which targeted Hezbollah operatives, killed 12 people in Lebanon and 14 in Syria. Norta Global, based in Bulgaria, recently deleted its website, raising suspicions about its involvement.
Bulgarian authorities investigated the claims and cleared Jose, stating that his company had no role in the sale of pagers linked to terrorism. However, Norway’s intelligence agency and Oslo police are still investigating.
The pagers involved in the deadly blasts were branded by Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, which claimed a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, manufactured them under a licensing deal.
Both Norta Global and BAC Consulting have come under scrutiny due to their apparent links. Despite Bulgarian authorities exonerating Jose, his whereabouts remain unclear, and his family in Kerala has been unable to reach him for days.
The ongoing investigation has heightened tensions, as Hezbollah has vowed retaliation, escalating the regional conflict with Israel.
