Crimeupdated 1h ago2 min read
Sofia City Court Approves European Arrest Warrant for Two Germans Over Starlink Antenna Arson
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Sofia City Court approved European arrest warrants for two German nationals over Starlink antenna arson. Suspects fled Bulgaria; prosecutors seek warrants and possible extradition.
Warrant Approved for Germans
Sofia City Court approved a European arrest warrant for two Germans charged in absentia with setting fire to Starlink antennas at the Plana teleport, and the ruling can be appealed within three days. Sofia city prosecutors charged the two men in absentia on 14 October and asked the court to hold them in custody, after German authorities said their current address is unknown and the two had already left Bulgaria. Prosecutors said the arsonists drove into Bulgaria in a German-registered car through the Kalotina border checkpoint at 17:37 on 9 October and told officials they were tourists.
Prosecutors said the fire was set at about 22:25 and the car left through the same checkpoint at 23:55 toward Serbia, and the prosecution said the arsonists wore gloves and masks. Lawyer Zhanet Manasieva told the hearing that "It may turn out in the end that these are not the people who committed the crime," as the court rejected the defense objections as unfounded.
Court, Defense, and Prison
Sofia City Court granted the prosecution's request for European arrest warrants, and the two 19-year-olds face up to twelve years in prison for the Starlink antenna arson near Sofia. A court spokesperson for the dpa news agency said the Sofia City Court granted the prosecution's request, while the defense lawyers planned to challenge the decision. German-registered car details and the suspects' entry as tourists were described as the two suspects were reportedly admitted as tourists from Serbia and returned to Serbia a few hours later in a car with German license plates.
Interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told MPs that the ministry had taken extra steps to guard such sites in Bulgaria, although their owners are responsible for them. Plamen Tontschev, head of Bulgaria's domestic intelligence service, said, "Such sabotage acts cannot be ruled out in the future," during a parliamentary question hour.
Antennas Damaged, Case Stakes
Prosecutors said three antennas burned down completely, two were partly destroyed, and three more were damaged at the Plana teleport near the village of Plana south of Sofia. BNR reporter Silvia Velikova said the Sofia City Court approved the prosecution's request for warrants for Zeka Islam and Tirpan Beytulla, and she reported that the two men spent only a few hours in Bulgaria. Evidence in the case included photographs, records tracking their German-registered vehicle, witness statements and an expert assessment, and the assessment found that three antennas had been completely destroyed by fire, two had been partially burned and three others had sustained fire damage.
Novinite said the Sofia City Court must rule on the Prosecutor's Office request for European Arrest Warrants for two people suspected of setting fire to 11 antennas used to communicate with the Starlink satellite system on the evening of October 9. Ivaylo Mirchev said, "Radev promised results, yet the suspects accused of theStarlinkarsonhave fledBulgaria," as he questioned what the prime minister knew and when the suspects left Bulgaria.