Lebanon: On September 17, the explosions of Gold Apollo pagers in Lebanon, which were supposedly meant to target Hezbollah operatives, led to 12 people dead and hundreds severely injured. Similar blasts in Syria killed 14 people. Pager users were connected to Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant organisation.
The blasts have been linked to Israel, with Hezbollah officials vowing to retaliate in the ongoing conflict between the two groups. There are doubts about Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, for potentially tampering with the devices. As the investigations progress, a Kerala-born businessman from Norway named Rinson Jose has been connected to the pager explosions.
Rinson Jose, "identified" by the media for selling #pagers that exploded in #Lebanon through his #Bulgarian company Norta Global, is reportedly a Norwegian citizen of #Indian (#Keralite) origin and works in the marketing section for a #Norwegian media company.#Israel#Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/KJ968sZZXq
— Rejimon Kuttappan (@rejitweets) September 20, 2024
DANS Investigation Spots Rinson Jose
The inquiry into the pager explosions aimed at Hezbollah members in Lebanon, which caused 12 fatalities and countless injuries, has unveiled the identity of Rinson Jose. DANS, the Bulgarian state security agency, stated that it was working with the interior ministry to look into the role of a company, identified as Norta Global Ltd. It was found out that the company established in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2022 is under the ownership of a Norwegian individual named Rinson Jose.
After becoming a citizen of Norway, Rinson Jose moved from Wayanad, Kerala, to the country. Initial reports suggested that a company owned by the 37-year-old in Bulgaria was associated with supplying pagers to the militant group.
The pager model AR-924, which caused the explosion, was manufactured and sold by BAC Consulting KFT in Budapest, Hungary, with authorization to use the company's trademark.
Two days after the pagers were detonated, DANS announced on Thursday that the pagers used in the Lebanon explosions were not imported, exported, or produced in Bulgaria.
Indian emigrant Rinson Jose has been linked to #Hezbollah pager blasts in #Lebanon, killing 12. Reports suggest his Bulgaria-based company, Norta Global, may have supplied the pagers used in the attack. Investigations are underway into his potential involvement.
— Neyaz Khalid Noor (@neyazkhalidnoor) September 21, 2024
Who Is Rinson Jose?
Rinson Jose, an Indian immigrant who relocated to Norway, has been linked to the Hezbollah pager bombings in Lebanon, causing the deaths of 12 people. Sources say that Norta Global, a Bulgaria-based company owned by him, had a hand in supplying the pagers. After obtaining Norwegian citizenship, Rinson Jose relocated from Wayanad in Kerala, to Norway, where initial reports suggested that a company owned by the 37-year-old in Bulgaria was connected to supplying pagers to the extremist organisation.
What Does Rinson Jose Do?
Last year, Jose established Norta Global and generated around ₹6 crore ($725,000) in revenue from consultancy services provided outside the EU. Sources suggest that Jose has been engaged in the Malayali community in Norway, where he formerly ran a job consultancy.
His LinkedIn profile shows that he has been working at DN Media Group since March 2022, portraying him as a businessman overseeing NortaLink, a company specialising in IT services, consulting, procurement, and hiring. It is said that Norta Global Limited is seen as a shell company linked to NortaLink.
The owner of Norta Global, Rinson Jose, an Indian-born man living in Norway, is missing. He left on a pre-planned trip the day the pagers were detonated. Jose is an employee of Norwegian media conglomerate NHST and has a profile on Israeli startup networking site Founders Nation. pic.twitter.com/4c31ms9YM9
— (@gumby4christ) September 20, 2024
What Does His Family Say?
According to a news report by IANS, Jose went to Norway to continue his studies a few years ago. He briefly worked in London before going back to Oslo. Jose's friends pointed out that he has a MBA from Pondicherry University and a Master's degree in International Social Welfare and Health Policy from Oslo Metropolitan University. He has also worked as an educator for the Poor Servants of Divine Providence (PDSP). Nevertheless, his family is still unaware of the details of his entrepreneurial activities.
According to relatives who spoke to IANS, Jose lives in Oslo with his wife and has a twin brother who resides in London.
"We speak daily over the phone. However, for the last three days, we have had no contact with Jose. He is a straightforward person and we trust him fully. He will not be part of any wrongdoing. He may have been trapped in these blasts," Thankachen, a relative of the 37-year-old, told the news agency, IANS, on September 20.
Wayanad Police Launches Investigation
Wayanad Special Branch police in Kerala are investigating Rinson Jose, a 37-year-old who left Wayanad for Norway ten years ago, due to reports of his suspected role in the recent pager explosions in Lebanon. According to The Hindu, Deputy Superintendent of Police from the Special Branch in Wayanad, P.L. Shyju, mentioned that authorities went to Jose's parents' residence in Mananthavady to gather details.
They said they didn't know about the situation and have not been able to contact him by phone after the incident. Shyju mentioned that since Jose is a foreigner, there are no legal actions or investigations against him in India. On September 20, authorities performed on-site inspections to evaluate the financial status of Jose's family and to obtain more information about their situation.