Trial of Bourgas Airport Terrorist Attack Fails to Start for Fifth Time

For the fifth time, Bulgaria’s specialized court failed to proceed with the case of the terrorist attack at Bourgas airport (Sarafovo). The case was again postponed on 19^th of June because of irregular summoning of some of the Israeli citizens injured in the attack and one of the legal entities. Also, the Bulgarian lawyer of the Israelis has brought before the court objective reasons for his absence and said he did not want the hearing to proceed.

On 18th of July, 2012, a bomb exploded in a bus with Israeli tourists just arriving for their vacation in the Bulgarian coastal city of Bourgas. The blast killed five Israeli citizens, a Bulgarian bus driver and 35 people were injured. The seventh victim was the bomber himself. The two suspects accused in-abstenia are Meliad Farah, holder of Australian passport and Hassan El Hajj Hassan, a Canadian passport-holder and Lebanese citizenship.

The next hearing is scheduled for 18^th of July and will be held in the building of Bourgas Regional Court.

The date was chosen because relatives of the victims will arrive to Bulgaria for a memorial to the victims of the terrorist attack and while in the country they would be available to give evidence in court.