Taiwan Company Blames Hungarian Firm for Lebanon Pager Explosions: What’s Next?
Taiwan’s Gold Apollo says Hungarian firm BAC Consulting made the pagers involved in Lebanon explosions. Find out what this means for the ongoing investigation
The recent explosions involving pagers in Lebanon have set off a wave of confusion and tension. Taiwan-based Gold Apollo Co. is now pointing to a Hungarian company, BAC Consulting, as the source of the problem, adding another twist to the already complex situation.
Tragic Explosion in Lebanon
On Tuesday, a series of devastating explosions rocked Lebanon, resulting in at least nine fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries. Hezbollah, the militant group, has accused Israel of masterminding these attacks, intensifying an already volatile situation. Israel has refrained from commenting on the allegations, keeping its stance neutral.
Gold Apollo’s Clarification
Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese company known for its alphanumeric pagers, is trying to clear the air. The company has stated that the AR-924 pager model involved in the explosions was not made by them but by BAC Consulting, a firm based in Budapest. Gold Apollo’s role, they say, was limited to providing brand authorization and had nothing to do with the actual manufacturing or design of the pagers.
Gold Apollo emphasized, “We want to make it clear that we do not manufacture the AR-924 pager. BAC Consulting is responsible for producing and selling this model. Our involvement is only in providing brand trademark authorization.”
Ongoing Investigation
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured the public that pagers exported from Taiwan are not known to explode under normal conditions. They’re currently investigating the situation to get to the bottom of the issue.
Adding to the intrigue, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs has pointed out that the batteries in these pagers are too small to cause significant harm. They believe the explosives must have been added after the devices left the factory.
How the Explosions Happened
Details are emerging about how the explosions were carried out. It seems that small amounts of explosives were placed near the battery compartments of the pagers. A switch mechanism triggered these explosives, leading to simultaneous detonations across Lebanon. This kind of coordinated attack suggests a high level of planning and execution.
Experts have different theories about how the explosives ended up in the pagers. Some suggest that factory workers might have been bribed to insert the explosives. Others, like Deepa Kundur from the University of Toronto, think the explosives could have been added during a supply chain phase, where a critical component was secretly modified.
Reactions and Speculations
Although pagers are largely outdated, they are still used in certain sectors. In Lebanon, for example, Hezbollah operatives use pagers to avoid detection by Israeli intelligence. This attack has brought renewed attention to these devices and how they can be used for covert communication.
Gold Apollo, a small company with around 40 employees, has faced intense scrutiny. The company’s founder, Hsu Ching-Kuang, explained that they had been working with BAC Consulting for about three years and that their interactions were mainly through video calls. Hsu insisted that Gold Apollo was not involved in the pager's production.
As the investigation continues, the focus will be on understanding how such an attack was planned and executed. The incident raises significant questions about security and the potential for technology to be misused in unexpected ways.
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