Bulgaria denies links to pager explosions in Lebanon and Syria

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Bulgaria's counterintelligence agency, DANS, has found no connection between the country and the recent explosions involving wireless communication devices in Lebanon and Syria, state-run media reported Friday.

The devices, which exploded on Sept. 17, had no ties to Bulgarian imports, exports, or manufacturing, according to Bulgaria's BTA news agency.

The investigation was prompted by a Hungarian news report that implicated Sofia-based Norta Global Ltd. in the sale of pagers to Hezbollah.

DANS dismissed the claims, stating that Norta Global Ltd. had no involvement in any financial operations related to terrorist financing or trade with individuals or entities under UN or EU sanctions.

The agency also confirmed that no communication equipment linked to the explosions had passed through Bulgarian customs.

The blasts, which occurred in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon earlier this week, claimed 12 lives and injured 2,800 people. A second wave of explosions on Wednesday killed 20 more and injured 450.

Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the incidents, although Israel has not commented.

The explosions have heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, where over 41,300 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since Hamas launched a cross-border attack on Oct. 7.