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Hezbollah linked to Burgas bus bombing | Hezbollah linked to Burgas bus bombing |
(35 minutes later) | |
A bus bombing that killed five Israelis and a driver in Bulgaria was most likely the work of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials say. | |
The attack, in the Black Sea resort of Burgas in July 2012, was carried out by a bomber who died at the scene. | The attack, in the Black Sea resort of Burgas in July 2012, was carried out by a bomber who died at the scene. |
But police and Bulgarian officials said he was part of a Hezbollah cell that included two operatives using passports from Australia and Canada. | But police and Bulgarian officials said he was part of a Hezbollah cell that included two operatives using passports from Australia and Canada. |
Israel also links Iran to the attack, which injured some 30 people. | Israel also links Iran to the attack, which injured some 30 people. |
Iran has always denied and involvement, while Hezbollah has made no comment. | Iran has always denied and involvement, while Hezbollah has made no comment. |
'Heinous act' | |
Unveiling the results of the six-month inquiry in Sofia on Tuesday, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said the Australian and Canadian passport-holders were directly linked to Hezbollah. | Unveiling the results of the six-month inquiry in Sofia on Tuesday, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said the Australian and Canadian passport-holders were directly linked to Hezbollah. |
Long before this official report was released by the Bulgarian authorities, Israel had accused Hezbollah (and its principal sponsor, Iran) of being behind the Burgas attack. | Long before this official report was released by the Bulgarian authorities, Israel had accused Hezbollah (and its principal sponsor, Iran) of being behind the Burgas attack. |
Since the July 2012 bombing, Israel and the US have pressed European Union states to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation (denying it access to funding and other financial assets in Europe). | |
While some, including Britain and the Netherlands, might support such a move, other countries, such as France, oppose it. France counters that Hezbollah is a political and social as well as a militant organisation. | |
The French argue that proscribing it as an illegal terrorist organisation could destabilise Lebanon and its current coalition government, of which Hezbollah is part. | |
"We have established that the two were members of the militant wing of Hezbollah," he said. | "We have established that the two were members of the militant wing of Hezbollah," he said. |
"There is data showing the financing and connection between Hezbollah and the two suspects." | "There is data showing the financing and connection between Hezbollah and the two suspects." |
The pair had lived in Lebanon since 2006 and 2010 respectively, the AFP news agency quoted Mr Tsvetanov as saying. | The pair had lived in Lebanon since 2006 and 2010 respectively, the AFP news agency quoted Mr Tsvetanov as saying. |
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Bulgarian findings made it clear that Hezbollah was "directly responsible for the heinous act in Burgas". | |
He said Hezbollah and Iran were "waging a global terror campaign across borders and continents" and urged European nations to "reach the required conclusions regarding the true nature of Hezbollah". | |
Until now Europe has refused to follow the US lead and label Hezbollah a terrorist organisation. | |
'Obvious links' | |
Before publishing its report, Bulgaria had avoided making public any suspicions about who was behind the Burgas attack. | |
Initial investigations - including the discovery of the bomber's head at the scene of the attack - suggested the strike may have been a suicide bombing. | Initial investigations - including the discovery of the bomber's head at the scene of the attack - suggested the strike may have been a suicide bombing. |
But officials now believe the device may have been remote-controlled, or accidentally detonated by the bomber. | |
In The Hague, the director of Europol, which co-ordinates policing across the 27 European Union states, said he backed the Bulgarians' conclusions that Hezbollah was involved. | |
"From what I've seen... obvious links to Lebanon, from the modus operandi of the terrorist attack, from other intelligence that we see, I think that's reasonable assumption," Rob Wainwright told the Associated Press. | |
If Hezbollah's involvement was proven it would be the group's first successful terror attack in Europe since the mid-1980s, he said. | |
In the wake of the bombing, Bulgaria's prime minister said there was "no chance" of detecting the group's activities before the bombing. | In the wake of the bombing, Bulgaria's prime minister said there was "no chance" of detecting the group's activities before the bombing. |
A photofit of the suspected bomber was released, but few details were known about his identity. | A photofit of the suspected bomber was released, but few details were known about his identity. |
But an intensive police probe, with 50 officers deployed to Bulgaria by Europol, now appears to have led investigators to Hezbollah. |