Taiwanese Entity Claims: Burst Pagers Originate from Hungary, Not Our Company
Many radios blast in Lebanon. Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese firm, declares it's not the producer. Instead, it points to a Hungarian business.
After numerous radios exploded simultaneously in Lebanon, the supposed manufacturer, Gold Apollo, based in Taiwan, denounced any involvement in the incident. Gold Apollo's CEO, Hsu Ching-Kuang, made this statement in Taipei: "The devices carried our logo, but we didn't manufacture them."
Gold Apollo admitted that a Hungarian company, identified as BAC, was responsible for the design and production of the radios. Gold Apollo only allowed BAC to use its trademark in certain regions to sell the products. According to a deal, all manufacturing aspects were under BAC's control.
The model, AR-924, reported by media, is also produced and sold by BAC. BAC Consulting was identified as the European distributor, as confirmed by CNN. This relationship with BAC started three years ago, when BAC approached Gold Apollo. Initially, BAC only imported pagers and communication products from Gold Apollo, but later informed Gold Apollo about its plan to manufacture its own pagers and requested permission to use the Taiwanese company's brand.
Recent news suggests that Gold Apollo may consider taking legal action due to being considered a victim. The company, founded in 1995, specializes in wireless communication systems. A high-ranking Taiwanese security official informed CNN that around 260,000 pagers were shipped to Taiwan between January 2022 and August 2024, but there's no record of them being delivered to Lebanon or the Middle East.
Mossad Accusation
Hezbollah and Iran accuse Israel of triggering the radio explosions. A high-ranking Lebanese security official and another source reported that a circuit board laced with explosives and a code was planted in the device by Mossad. According to these sources, the device's detection was nearly impossible, not even with advanced devices or scanners.
The 5,000 radios were ordered by Hezbollah and smuggled into Lebanon at the beginning of the year. On Tuesday, about 3,000 of the radios exploded due to an encrypted message, which simultaneously activated the explosives. According to the sources, nine people were killed, and approximately 2,750 were injured. Hezbollah vowed revenge against Israel in response.
Earlier this year, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah urged Hezbollah members and families in southern Lebanon to discard their mobile phones. He stated: "Turn them off, bury them, or lock them in an iron box." According to him, Israel could monitor the movements of the Iran-backed terror network through these mobile devices. "The collaborator is the mobile phone in your hand, that of your wife, and that of your children. This phone is the collaborator and murderer."
The European Union expressed concerns over the radio explosions in Lebanon, considering Gold Apollo's involvement due to the use of its trademark. However, Gold Apollo clarified that a Hungarian company, BAC, was responsible for the manufacturing and design of the radios, with permission to use the Taiwanese company's brand.
