Canadian, Australian suspects to be tried in bomb attack that killed Israelis

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor says a Canadian and Australian wanted in a July 2012 bomb attack that killed five Israeli tourists and a local bus driver will be tried early next year.

Sotir Tsatsarov told reporters today that an indictment should be ready in the first three months of next year.

Bulgaria has identified the suspects as 25-year-old Hassan El Hajj Hassan, a Canadian citizen and 32-year-old Meliad Farah, also known as Hussein Hussein, an Australian citizen, both of Lebanese origin.

Tsatsarov says the two suspects are in a country “from which extradition would be possible,” adding that the trial would go ahead regardless of whether they are handed over to Bulgaria or not.

The suicide bomber, who died on the spot in the bombing at Burgas Airport on the Black Sea coast, has not been identified.

Earlier this year Bulgarian authorities asked people who might have seen the suspects to report to the nearest police station.

In February, Jason Kenney, Canadian immigration minister at the time, said the Canadian suspect was born in Lebanon, came to Canada at age eight, became a Canadian citizen and then left at age 12. He said he assumed the man was a dual Lebanese-Canadian citizen.

“I understand he may have been back to Canada a few times since then, but he has not been a habitual resident in Canada since the age of 12,” Kenney said.

In July, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird described the suspect as a non-resident, dual national “who lived here for several years when he was a child.”

— With files from The Canadian Press