Norwegian individual linked to beepers for Hezbollah goes missing after course in United States

The individual identified as the owner of a company in Bulgaria allegedly involved in selling beepers to Hezbollah has not returned to work. The Norwegian was reportedly attending a course in the United States last week and was expected back on Monday, but he has not shown up.

His employer confirmed, “He is not in the office today. We have no information that he has returned to Norway over the weekend as we had hoped.” They noted that they have not been in contact with him since Wednesday of the previous week.

While the employer has not reported him missing, they are continuously assessing the situation. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the employer has reached out to them regarding the matter.

The employer’s comments coincide with reports of multiple beepers exploding in Lebanon and Syria the previous week. Beepers are simple devices compared to smartphones, functioning with radio technology, making them harder to track for outsiders. Hezbollah has reportedly used them for communication.

Currently, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, although several parties, including Hezbollah, have pointed fingers at Israel. A Norwegian profile was reportedly found on an Israeli social networking site. Concurrently, both Hungarian and Bulgarian authorities denied any involvement in importing or exporting these beepers through their countries.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has stated that the attacks represent a large, coordinated strike against thousands of people. He expressed concerns that this escalation could worsen an already serious situation in the Middle East, potentially leading to a broader regional conflict as Israel has indicated intentions to focus on Lebanon.