Bus bomb suspect caught on camera

He looked like any other impatient tourist checking the board at airport arrivals: a lanky, long-haired man in a baseball cap with his hands in the pockets of his plaid Bermuda shorts, a bulky backpack hanging from his shoulders.

Minutes later, authorities say, the man, filmed by security cameras at Bulgaria’s Burgas airport, would board a bus filled with young Israeli tourists and blow himself up, killing six others as well.

Authorities are searching for clues to his identity, using his fingerprints, his DNA and his fake Michigan driving licence.

Israel was quick to blame Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah for Wednesday’s attack and a US official said Hezbollah was believed to be behind the attack.

The victims included the Bulgarian bus driver and five Israelis, including a pregnant woman.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the bombing “was carried out by Hezbollah, the long arm of Iran”. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast called the accusation “baseless”, saying it was aimed at diverting world attention from Israel’s role in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists.

Israel has attributed a series of attacks on its citizens around the world in recent months to Iran and its Shiite proxies, threatening to escalate a shadow war between the two arch-enemies that has escalated over Israeli claims that the Iranians are trying to build nuclear weapons.

The attack occurred shortly after the Israelis boarded a bus outside the airport in the Black Sea resort town of Burgas, 250 miles east of the capital Sofia, which is a popular destination for Israeli tourists – particularly high school graduates before they are drafted into military service.

Yesterday Bulgarian television showed security camera footage of the suspected bomber wandering in and out of the terminal shortly before the blast. He was dressed as a tourist himself, wearing a baseball cap, T-shirt, plaid shorts and trainers with short white socks. He carried a large backpack with wheels.

Bulgaria’s interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said the backpack contained the bomb, which detonated in the luggage compartment of the bus. The bomber was believed to have been about 36 and had been in the country between four and seven days, Mr Tsvetanov said.

“We cannot exclude the possibility that he had logistical support on Bulgarian territory,” the minister said.

Officials were using DNA samples to try to establish his identity. Prime minister Boiko Borisov said a Michigan driving licence was retrieved, but US officials said there was “no such person in their database”. Michigan is home to one of the largest Arab communities in the US.

The licence showed the name of Jacque Felipe Martin with an address in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Michigan officials said they told the FBI that no one by that name had a valid Michigan licence and that out-of-state residents could not be issued with one anyway.

The Israelis had just arrived on a charter flight from Tel Aviv carrying 154 people, including eight children. Some of them told Israeli television that they were just boarding the white bus in the airport car park for their hotel when the blast occurred.

Officials reported overnight yesterday that an eighth person had died, but later said that was incorrect.