SOFIA: A Sofia court on Wednesday refused to extradite a shipowner wanted by Lebanon over a devastating blast at Beirut’s port in 2020.
Lebanon wants Bulgaria to extradite Igor Grechushkin, a 48-year-old Russian-Cypriot, over the disaster.
The blast on August 4, 2020 was one of the world’s largest non-nuclear explosions, destroying swathes of the Lebanese capital, killing more than 220 people and injuring more than 6,500.
Grechushkin, who was arrested in September at Sofia airport, is accused by Lebanese judicial authorities of “introducing explosives into Lebanon — a terrorist act that resulted in the death of a large number of people — (and) disabling machinery with the intent of sinking a ship,” according to Bulgarian prosecutors.
But the Sofia city court refused Lebanon’s extradition request, ordering his release.
