Bulgaria Releases Image of Suicide Bomber

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarian police on Wednesday released a computer-generated image of the suicide attacker involved in the bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver two weeks ago.

A police statement said the image of the dark-haired man was produced after reconstructing the badly damaged face of the bomber, who was decapitated in the explosion at a popular vacation resort on July 18.

The photo was sent to partner services for possible identification after fingerprints and DNA samples taken from the bomber did not match anything in international databases, said Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. 

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Bulgaria bomber had accomplices, may have entered from Schengen passport-free area

Investigators have been unable to match fingerprints or DNA samples taken from the alleged bomber (C), who also died in the explosion, with databases around the world.

The suicide bomber who killed six people including five Israelis had accomplices and may have entered Bulgaria from Europe’s Schengen passport-free area, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Tuesday.

“It might turn out he came from a Schengen member state. This is a lead we are checking at the moment with several other EU partner services,” Borisov said, calling the bomber and his suspected accomplices behind last Wednesday’s blast at Burgas airport “extremely experienced”.

“From what we can see, they came a month in advance,” Borisov said.

“They changed hire car again and again. They stayed in different cities so that they would not be seen together -- no camera footage shows more than one person from the ones we are looking for.”

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Cyprus court detains Israel attack plot suspect

NICOSIA (Reuters) - A man suspected of planning attacks on Israeli interests in Cyprus was detained by a court on the island on Monday, as Israel's leader once again accused Hezbollah militants and Iran over the alleged plot.

The 24-year-old suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, was arrested in the Cypriot port city of Limassol on July 7, on suspicion of tracking the movements of Israeli tourists. He is a Swedish national of Lebanese origin.
Israel said he was planning an attack similar to a suicide bus bombing in the Bulgarian city of Burgas which killed five Israelis last week.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.S. "Fox News Sunday" television program that the "modus operandi" of the Cyprus suspect was similar to that used by the Burgas bomber.
He said he had "rock-solid" intelligence that Lebanon's Hezbollah group, backed by Iran, was responsible. Tehran has denied any involvement.
The suspect on Monday appeared at a Limassol court which ordered his remand until July 27 pending completion of police inquiries.

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