site.btaBulgaria Marks Anniversary of 2012 Sarafovo Terrorist Attack

On July 18, 2012, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a bus carrying Israeli tourists at Sarafovo Airport in Burgas (on the Black Sea), killing five Israeli nationals and the Bulgarian bus driver and injuring 37. Later on, Mohamad Hassan El Husseini (dual Lebanese-French citizen) was identified as the suicide bomber, and Hassan El Hajj Hassan, 28 (dual Lebanese-Canadian national), and Meliad Farah, 35 (dual Lebanese-Australian national) were charged with masterminding the attack.

Days before the attack, El Husseini entered Bulgaria under a false identity using the name Philippe Martine. According to investigators, he was part of a three-member Hezbollah cell operating in Europe. His alleged accomplices Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan were charged in absentia in 2016. Both remain at large despite international arrest warrants.

Investigators believe the men traveled through Poland, Romania, and Germany, using false identities to gather materials for the attack. Intelligence officials believe Hezbollah coordinated their training and logistics.

After a four-year investigation, the case was brought to court in 2016, with substantive hearings beginning in 2018. Nearly 100 forensic examinations were carried out, and more than 200 witnesses were questioned during the trial.

In 2020, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan to life imprisonment without parole for their involvement in the terrorist attack. The court also ordered them to pay compensation to the victims and the families of the deceased, totaling over BGN 100 million. Both men are wanted on a Red Notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

Eleven years after the attack, in 2023, the two were once again sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment without parole. The court upheld civil claims filed by the heirs of the six victims, awarding damages of BGN 200 million. Both men remain on Interpol’s wanted list.

Memorial events are held annually at the site of the attack to honour the victims and express solidarity with the survivors and their families.