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Bulgaria issues arrest warrants for two Germans in Starlink arson case
A Bulgarian court has approved European arrest warrants for two 19-year-old German nationals accused of intentionally setting fire to Starlink satellite antennas near Sofia. The suspects, identified as Tirpan B. and Zeka I., allegedly targeted the Plana Teleport facility on October 9.
According to prosecutors, the pair entered Bulgaria from Serbia in a Volkswagen with German license plates, claiming to be tourists. They reportedly arrived in the afternoon and departed through the Kalotina border checkpoint later that same night. The arson damaged eight antennas, resulting in three being completely destroyed and others sustaining partial or minor damage.
The suspects face potential prison sentences ranging from three to twelve years. While defense lawyers argue that surveillance footage is inconclusive because the perpetrators wore masks and gloves, the Sofia City Court ruled that the available evidence and witness testimonies were sufficient to justify the warrants.
This incident follows a series of suspected sabotage attacks on Starlink infrastructure across Europe, including a fire at a station in Poland and a reported attempt in Lithuania. Authorities have noted the strategic importance of the Starlink network, which is used for both civilian and military communications, including in the conflict in Ukraine.
Entities
Bulgaria · Sofia City Court · SpaceX · Starlink · Tirpan B. · Tirpan Beytula · Zeka I. · Zeka Islam
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The court ruled that existing witness testimony and physical evidence are sufficient to justify prosecution at this stage. www.rtl.de · www.bild.de
- [DISPUTED] The two 19-year-old suspects entered Bulgaria from Serbia on October 9 and departed the same night in a vehicle with German license plates. bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · novini247.com · www.epochtimes.de · www.bild.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] The suspects face potential prison sentences ranging from three to twelve years for intentional arson. www.rtl.de · novini247.com · www.epochtimes.de · www.bild.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Defense lawyers argue that video footage is insufficient for identification because the perpetrators wore masks and gloves. www.rtl.de · www.epochtimes.de · www.bild.de
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Sofia City Court approved the prosecution's request to issue European arrest warrants for two suspects. bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · novini247.com · www.epochtimes.de · www.bild.de
- [● 13 SOURCES] Tirpan Beytula and Zeka Islam are accused of intentionally setting fire to Starlink communication antennas near Sofia. bgvoice.com · novini247.com · www.rtl.de · www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · +8 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The head of the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (DANS) suspects the incident was an act of sabotage. www.rtl.de
- [DISPUTED] The arson damaged eight Starlink antennas, resulting in three being completely destroyed and others partially burned. bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · www.epochtimes.de · www.bild.de · www.businessdaily.gr · +8 more
- [DISPUTED] A Bulgarian court approved two European arrest warrants for two 19-year-old German nationals. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.tanea.gr · bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · +8 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] The two suspects face up to 12 years in prison for arson. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.tanea.gr · bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · +8 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The suspects, identified as Tirpan B. and Zeka I., allegedly set fire to Starlink antennas on October 9 at approximately 22:25. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.tanea.gr
- [● 13 SOURCES] The suspects arrived in Bulgaria from Serbia in a Volkswagen with German license plates and left the same night. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.tanea.gr · bgvoice.com · www.rtl.de · +8 more