Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Gold Apollo, has denied producing the pagers used in deadly explosions that rocked Lebanon on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and nearly 3,000 injuries.
According to Reuters, the company clarified that the devices, which detonated simultaneously across the country, were manufactured by a separate firm, BAC, which holds a license to use Gold Apollo’s brand.
The explosions occurred after pagers reportedly used by members of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, were rigged with explosives. Initial reports suggested the devices were made by Gold Apollo.
However, the company’s founder and president, Hsu Ching-Kuang, on Wednesday said that while the pagers carried their brand name, they were actually manufactured by BAC.
“The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it,” Hsu stated during a press conference held at Gold Apollo’s headquarters in New Taipei City.
He added that Gold Apollo only authorized the use of its trademark and had no involvement in the design or production of the pagers.
Images of the destroyed pagers, analyzed by Reuters, showed markings consistent with those made by Gold Apollo.
However, Hsu reiterated that the AR-924 pager model in question was produced and sold by BAC. He declined to disclose the exact location of BAC but initially indicated it was based in Europe.
The Lebanese security services have suggested that Hezbollah ordered 5,000 pagers from Gold Apollo, believing the devices would evade Israeli tracking systems.
However, sources have alleged that Israel’s Mossad agency had planted explosives inside the pagers months before the blasts.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, announced it was conducting a “security and scientific investigation” into the explosions, which affected several regions in Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Gold Apollo expressed regret over the incident, with Hsu calling the situation “very embarrassing” for the company.
“We may not be a large company but we are a responsible one,” he added, emphasizing that Gold Apollo was also a victim of the tragedy.
The investigation into the deadly detonations continues, with both Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities working to determine the full extent of the cause.
