Wed Sep 18 11:52:38 UTC 2024: ## Taiwanese Company Denies Involvement in Lebanon Pagers Explosions
**Taipei, Taiwan** – The investigation into the deadly explosions in Lebanon, which killed at least 12 people and injured nearly 3,000, has taken a surprising turn, pointing towards a Taiwanese company called Gold Apollo.
The company’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, vehemently denied any involvement in the attacks, claiming that Gold Apollo had merely licensed its trademark to a Hungarian company called BAC Consulting, which then manufactured the pagers used in the explosions.
“Those pagers don’t have any mark saying ‘Made in Taiwan’,” Mr. Hsu told reporters, emphasizing that his company did not manufacture the devices.
Gold Apollo, a company specializing in pagers and other short-range radio devices, has seen its website go offline following the news reports linking them to the incident. Mr. Hsu explained that the company had signed an agreement with BAC Consulting three years ago, with unusual payment transfers coming from the Middle East.
While Gold Apollo initially supplied pagers to BAC, the Hungarian company later decided to manufacture its own devices and use the Gold Apollo brand name. “We only provide brand trademark authorization and have no involvement in the design or manufacturing of this product,” the company stated.
The Taiwanese authorities, however, remain unconvinced, with a team from the Taipei investigation bureau currently scrutinizing the company’s offices.
The incident has highlighted the complex nature of Taiwan’s manufacturing system, where numerous smaller companies rely on factories in China and Southeast Asia for actual production.
Pagers, once a ubiquitous device, are now a niche technology, largely replaced by smartphones. Their use in the Lebanon attacks suggests a deliberate attempt to exploit a familiar technology for a malicious purpose.
Despite Gold Apollo’s denial, the investigation into the explosions continues. Questions remain about the identity and motivations of BAC Consulting and the origin of the pagers used in the attacks.
The incidents have heightened regional tensions, with Hezbollah accusing Israel of being behind the explosions. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported nine fatalities and over 2,800 injuries, emphasizing the devastating impact of the blasts.
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