Indian-Born Entrepreneur Rinson Jose Tied to Deadly Pager Explosions in Lebanon

NEW DELHI: Rinson Jose is a 37-year-old Indian entrepreneur living in Norway. His name forms the centre of an investigation into pager blasts that have killed nearly 20 people, and also maimed many Hezbollah members in Lebanon.

Jose owns a Bulgarian company, Norta Global Limited. Some of these pagers are reportedly sourced from the supply chain in which he is allegedly involved.

On the list were the blasts on September 17 and all this is now adding to more concerns that several different companies were somehow involved in the logistics of devices.

According to Mail Online reports, the pagers were from a Hungarian company named BAC Consulting, but they had a brand name of Taiwanese concern called Gold Apollo. It's reported they are ordered through Norta Global.

Jose has been missing since the attacks, the report adds.

Telex, a Hungarian news medium, cites sources dealing with the contract of the pager that while BAC Consulting seemed to be the official signatory of the deal with Gold Apollo, the sources said it was actually Norta Global.

Bulgarian investigations by SANS, the national security agency, cleared Jose and Norta Global of any direct involvement in the shipment of explosives related to the blasts, saying that no such equipment passed through Bulgaria.

"SANS says after verification has established no communication equipment matching the devices that exploded on September 17 was imported, exported or manufactured in Bulgaria", reports Sofia Echo.

Even though his family stays in Wayanad, Kerala, they are shocked by this incident in regard to Jose. Rinson must have been cheated or misgudged in his business dealing, thinks his uncle, Thangachan, whom he said in local media. No one in his family has contacted him after the incident.

According to Aju John, Jose's cousin, Rinson never revealed that he owns a company in Bulgaria or has business ties there. Aju said this with concern since it is connected to the attack involving terrorist groups.

P L Shyju, Deputy SP of Special Branch, Wayanad, said while speaking to Manorama Online that they started looking into Rinson's involvement with the Lebanon attack after receiving reports on the same.

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