×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Bulgaria says bomber in Burgas attack was Algerian-report

by Reuters
Monday, 7 April 2014 09:00 GMT

SOFIA, April 7 (Reuters) - The man who blew up a bus in a Bulgarian Black Sea resort in 2012, killing five Israeli tourists, was of Algerian origin and trained in camps in South Lebanon, the Bulgarian daily Presa said, quoting sources familiar with the investigation.

Sofia has said Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was behind the attack at the Burgas airport. The European Union last July put the group's armed wing of the group on its terrorism blacklist over the incident. Hezbollah denies any involvement.

The EU country has named two men of Lebanese origin as suspected accomplices of the bomber, who died during the attack.

"The assailant was born in Algeria, lived in Morocco and was trained in camps in South Lebanon. He also studied at a Beirut university with the other two suspects," the newspaper said, quoting sources who declined to be named.

The Balkan country has identified the suspects as 32-year-old Meliad Farah, also known as Hussein Hussein, an Australian citizen, and 25-year-old Hassan El Hajj Hassan, a Canadian citizen, both of Lebanese origin.

The prosecutor's office, that is preparing an indictment for the attack, declined to comment.

Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov said last Friday there is a new information on the bomber, which is likely to extend the investigation into the attack. (Reporting By Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

-->