Rinson Jose, a 37-year-old Kerala-born Norwegian citizen, is under investigation by Bulgaria’s security agency for his alleged connection to the recent pager blasts in Lebanon, which targeted Hezbollah members. The blasts reportedly killed 42 people and injured over 3,500, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.
Jose, originally from Wayanad in Kerala, is the founder of Norta Global, a Bulgarian company suspected of selling the pagers used in the blasts. His company was reportedly linked to Hezbollah through the sale of communication devices. However, Jose declined to comment on the allegations and hung up when questioned about his Bulgarian business dealings.
Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (SANS) has stated that no communication equipment matching those used in the blasts was imported or manufactured in Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Oslo police have initiated a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
Jose, who moved to Norway after completing his MBA, has lived in Oslo with his wife and also has a twin brother based in London. His relatives believe that he has been wrongly implicated, with one family member stating, “We trust him fully. He would not be involved in any wrongdoing.”
Jose’s LinkedIn profile shows that he has co-founded several ventures and previously worked in digital customer support for DN Media in Norway. The CEO of DN Media has informed authorities about the situation and confirmed that Jose was traveling to the United States at the time.
Jose last visited Kerala in November 2023 before returning to Norway in January 2024.
