Lagatar24 Desk
Oslo: Authorities in Oslo, Norway, are conducting a preliminary investigation into Rinson Jose, a Kerala-born emigrant, in connection with the pager blasts targeting Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, which resulted in 12 deaths and left thousands injured. The 37-year-old emigrated from Wayanad, Kerala to Norway and was named in reports linking him to the supply of the pagers used in the blasts.
Initial Investigation Findings
The explosive devices, pagers reportedly modified by Mossad to hide three grams of explosives, were initially traced back to Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based company. However, Gold Apollo clarified that the model used, AR-924, had been manufactured by BAC Consulting KFT, a Hungarian firm with authorization to use its trademark.
Two days after the blasts on September 17, the Bulgarian state security agency DANS revealed it was probing the role of Norta Global Ltd, a company owned by Jose and registered in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2022. The agency later confirmed that no communication equipment linked to the explosions had been imported, exported, or manufactured in Bulgaria.
DANS stated, “Following verifications, it has been indisputably established that no communication equipment corresponding to those that exploded on September 17 was imported, exported or manufactured in Bulgaria.” Furthermore, the agency concluded that neither the company nor its owner had any involvement in transactions related to terrorism financing.
Jose’s Background and Family’s Concern
According to IANS, Jose had moved to Norway to pursue higher education and briefly worked in London before returning to Oslo. He had been employed with DN Media, a Norwegian press group, for nearly five years in digital customer support. The company confirmed Jose had been on an overseas trip since the start of the week and had been unreachable.
Jose’s relatives, including his twin brother based in London, expressed concern over his sudden disappearance. His relative, Thankachen, told IANS, “We trust him fully and believe he is not involved in any wrongdoing. He may have been trapped in these events.” The family has also been unable to contact his wife in Oslo.
Norta Global, the company founded by Jose, declared a revenue of approximately ₹6 crore from consulting activities outside the European Union last year. As investigations by both Norwegian and Bulgarian authorities continue, no evidence has yet been found linking Jose to the supply or financing of the pagers used in the tragic incident.
This case is under active investigation, with both countries working closely to determine any further involvement.
