Trial of Bourgas Airport Terrorist Attack Fails to Start Yet Again

For the fourth time, Bulgaria’s specialized court failed to proceed with the case of the terrorist attack at Bourgas airport (Sarafovo).

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 father of Mustafa Kyosov (the Bulgarian driver killed in the attack) lodged a civil claim for half a million BGN. The case, however, was postponed for the fourth time due to problems with the summoning of the Israeli citizens injured in the attack and relatives of the victims. A large number of them have already been notified of the court case and have also filed civil claims in writing.

The court is expected to decide whether to allow them form consideration at the next date in June, when a new attempt will be made to start the trial.

Defence lawyers said that, 7 of the Israeli citizens would come in person for the July meeting, having already bought air tickets for Bulgaria.

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.