The Man Detained at Sofia's Airport on Interpol Red Notice Was Wanted by Lebanese Judicial Authorities

The Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office has detained a citizen of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cyprus, identified by the initials I.G., who was wanted on an Interpol Red Notice for the purpose of extradition, the prosecution announced. the Prosecutor's office said.

• A Cypriot Citizen Wanted on Interpol Red Notice Detained at Sofia Airport

The man was placed on Interpol’s wanted list at the request of the Lebanese judicial authorities, based on an arrest warrant issued on 29 September 2020. He is sought in connection with alleged crimes, including the import of explosives into Lebanon, a terrorist act resulting in the deaths of a large number of people, and the disabling of machinery with the intention of sinking a vessel. The Lebanese authorities have confirmed their request for his international search and detention.

By a decree of a prosecutor of the High Prosecutor's Office, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office has been instructed to organise the implementation of the procedure under the Extradition Act and the European Arrest Warrant, namely to provide a defence lawyer and an interpreter for the detainee and to submit to the Sofia City Court a request for his temporary detention.

By order of a prosecutor from the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office, the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office was tasked with initiating the procedure under the Extradition and European Arrest Warrant Act. This included appointing a defence lawyer and an interpreter for the detainee, and filing a request with the Sofia City Court for his temporary detention.

The Sofia City Court has ordered the man’s provisional detention for up to 40 days—a measure upheld by the Sofia Court of Appeal. The Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office has immediately informed the Minister of Justice and the requesting state of the detention measure.

During the period of provisional detention, the Lebanese authorities are required to submit to the Bulgarian prosecution the formal extradition request, the supporting documents, and translations thereof, in accordance with the bilateral extradition treaty between Bulgaria and the Republic of Lebanon.