An international warrant has been issued for Rinson Jose, a Norwegian Indian man who went missing following the devastating Hezbollah pager blasts in Lebanon that killed 39 persons. The Norwegian security forces confirmed the charges against Jose, from Kerala who, sources suggest, was involved in selling communication devices to the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The blasts, which occurred last month, also injured nearly 3,000 individuals and were widely attributed to tensions with Israel, as reported by AFP.

The Norwegian police have referred to the case as a missing persons case, and its members have begun an international search for Rinson Jose. Mari Elise Bunaes Myhrer of the Oslo police commented, “A missing persons case has been opened, and we have issued an international search for the person.” Normally, when someone goes missing abroad, Kripos issues a global alert known as a "yellow notice." However, they may also inform their international counterparts based on the situation.

Links to Hezbollah operations

Reports stated that Rinson Jose, 39 years old, was in the United States for a business trip when the blasts occurred, and he has not been seen since. As per reports from a Hungarian news outlet, Telex, Bulgarian authorities are investigating a company named Norta Global, which is registered in Bulgaria and linked to Jose. The company is alleged to have been incorporated in April 2022 in his name. This firm is also accused of exporting the equipment that Hezbollah used for its communication.

When approached by Reuters, Jose refused to comment on the allegations over the pagers but cut the line when asked about his business ventures in Bulgaria.

Hezbollah blasts
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The Bulgarian National Security Agency (SANS) has clarified this issue by saying that the Norwegian company had nothing to do with the sales and distribution of the explosives. As the investigation continues, the international community remains on high alert over further developments regarding Rinson Jose and what the implications of his alleged actions.

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