A series of explosions in Lebanon, attributed to pagers used by Hezbollah members, has left at least nine people dead and nearly 3,000 injured. While initial reports suggested the pagers were manufactured by Gold Apollo, the company has vehemently denied any involvement, stating that the devices were made by a licensee, BAC, which is authorized to use their brand in specific regions.
Gold Apollo’s founder and president, Hsu Ching-kuang, clarified that the AR-924 model in question was produced and sold by BAC. He emphasized that the design and manufacturing of the products were entirely handled by BAC, and that Gold Apollo has no responsibility for their use.
Hsu mentioned that there had been issues with remittances from BAC, noting that payments had come through the Middle East, but did not provide further details.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Taiwanese authorities, including police and officials from the country’s economy ministry, visited Gold Apollo’s headquarters while Hsu was addressing reporters. The ministry subsequently stated there was no record of direct pager exports from Taiwan to Lebanon.
In light of these developments, Gold Apollo plans to sue BAC, the licensee, for their involvement in the incident. “We may not be a large company but we are a responsible one,” Hsu stated. “This is very embarrassing.”
The coordinated nature of the explosions, which occurred almost simultaneously, has raised suspicions and led to accusations against Israel. Lebanese authorities report 2,750 injuries and nine deaths, including a child. The U.S. government has denied prior knowledge of the attack, while both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government point fingers at Israel.
The incident has escalated tensions in the region, with potential for further retaliation. Hezbollah has ordered its members to discard their pagers immediately, highlighting the immediate impact of the explosions on the group. The incident underscores the volatile security landscape in the region and raises questions about the role of pagers in potentially facilitating such attacks.
