Intl. Search Request Issued By Norway For Man Linked To Mossad's Pager-explosions Attack In Lebanon

Norwegian police on Thursday, say they have issued an international arrest request for Rinson Jose, a Norwegian-Indian man linked to the sale of pagers used by Israel's Mossad in the intelligence agency's coordinated attack that killed and wounded hundreds in Lebanon. Jose, 39, is a founder of a Bulgarian shell company that was reportedly part of the supply chain that sold the compromised devices to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

According to Bulgaria's corporate registry, Jose in 2022, founded Sofia-based company Norta Global Ltd. It has been under investigation since the attack in Lebanon.

Jose reportedly disappeared while on a work trip to the U.S. last week. "Yesterday, Sept. 25, the Oslo police district received a missing person report in connection with the pager case," the Norwegian criminal police, Kripos, which handles international requests, reportedly said. "A missing persons case has been opened, and we have sent out an international warrant for the person."

DN Media Group, Jose's Norwegian employer, said he left for a conference in Boston on Sept. 17, and the company has not been able to reach him since Sept. 18. The 39-year-old works at the group's sales department. He had reportedly declined to comment on the pagers when reached by phone on Sept. 18.

Norway's security police (PST) also reportedly launched a preliminary investigation earlier this week, into reports that a Norwegian-owned company was linked to the sale of the pagers.