Taiwanese company says exploding Hezbollah pagers made by Hungarian firm
Lebanese soldiers stand guard at a street that leads to the American University hospital where they bring wounded people whose handheld pager exploded, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Taiwanese electronics company Gold Apollo has denied involvement in the explosive pagers that detonated across Lebanon, killing nine people and wounding approximately 2,800. The devices, used by Hezbollah members, were reportedly tampered with before they arrived in Lebanon, according to reports from the New York Times.
A company based in Hungary was responsible for manufacturing the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network, according to another firm whose brand was used on the devices said Wednesday.
Pagers supplied by Hungarian BAC Consulting
Gold Apollo clarified that the pagers in question were manufactured by its Hungarian partner, BAC Consulting KFT. The company’s head, Hsu Ching-kuang, denied allegations that the pagers were made by Gold Apollo in Taiwan.
“They are not our products from beginning to end. How can we produce products that are not ours?” Hsu said during a press conference in Taipei.
The company added that it has had a long-term partnership with BAC Consulting, based in Budapest, but emphasized that BAC was responsible for producing the specific model involved in the explosions. Gold Apollo stated that its involvement was limited to providing brand trademark authorization and that the design and manufacturing were entirely handled by BAC.
Pager explosions reportedly done by Israel
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, has blamed Israel for tampering with the devices before they reached Lebanon. According to a source close to Hezbollah, a shipment of 1,000 pagers recently imported by the group had been “sabotaged at source,” leading to the deadly explosions.
An American official said Israel briefed the United States on Tuesday after the attack, in which small amounts of explosives hidden in the pagers were detonated. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the information publicly.
The New York Times reported that around 3,000 pagers, mostly the AR924 model, were ordered from Gold Apollo. Israeli officials have not commented on the accusations.
Taiwan government denies explosive capability
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs issued a statement backing Gold Apollo’s claims, asserting that the company’s pagers only have a receiving function and lack the capacity to cause explosions.
“The capacity of their built-in battery is about that of an ordinary AA battery, which is not possible to explode to cause death or injury,” the ministry said.
Gold Apollo added that there is no record of direct exports to Lebanon, and the ministry expressed doubts over whether the pagers involved in the explosion were indeed manufactured by the Taiwanese company.
Hungarian partner under scrutiny
BAC Consulting, the Hungarian company responsible for producing the explosive pagers, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The company, founded in 2022, reportedly has just one employee and modest revenue, according to legal documents.
The explosion caused widespread damage across Lebanon, injuring thousands, including the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. Among the nine victims was the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member.
