- Two Taiwanese individuals questioned over Hezbollah-linked pager explosions in Lebanon.
- The blasts killed 37 and injured nearly 3,000.
- Gold Apollo denies production, pointing to Hungary's BAC Consulting KFT.
- Officials stress Taiwan did not export the pagers.
Two individuals from Taiwanese companies were interrogated as part of an investigation into explosive pagers used by Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, officials confirmed on Friday. Amid rising concerns, top Taiwanese officials emphasized that the devices in question were not produced in Taiwan.
The investigation follows a devastating incident where hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies detonated throughout Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries. The shocking explosions have sparked intense scrutiny regarding the origin and supply chain of the devices linked to the militant group.
Speculation has grown regarding how these devices reached Hezbollah, leading to inquiries into potential involvement by foreign entities. According to a report from The New York Times, anonymous sources, including American officials, suggested that Israel may have tampered with a shipment of pagers from Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, inserting explosive materials into the devices.
The situation has heightened tensions, with Taiwanese authorities facing pressure to clarify the circumstances surrounding the pagers. Investigators are working to piece together the supply chain and determine how the explosive devices were utilized in the recent attacks.
As the investigation unfolds, both Taiwanese companies involved are cooperating with authorities to provide information and clarify their roles. Officials have reassured the public that measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
In the wake of these events, international observers are closely monitoring the situation, given the implications for regional security and the potential for escalated conflict. The Taiwanese government is committed to transparency and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
The fallout from the explosions and the investigation into the pagers continues to reverberate, as many await answers about the origins of these deadly devices and the broader implications for Taiwan’s involvement in international trade and security.
Hsu Ching-kuang, the head of Gold Apollo, denied that his company produced the explosive devices, instead attributing responsibility to BAC Consulting KFT, a Hungary-based partner that used Gold Apollo’s trademark. Local reports indicated that the second individual questioned was Wu Yu-jen, a representative linked to BAC Consulting, who established a Taipei-based company called “Apollo Systems.”
In a statement released on Friday, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office emphasized the seriousness with which they are treating the case. They revealed that the Investigation Bureau’s national security unit had interviewed the two witnesses, who were subsequently allowed to leave after several rounds of questioning.
“We aim to clarify the facts quickly, including whether any Taiwanese companies are implicated,” the prosecutors’ office stated. Investigators conducted searches at four locations, including Gold Apollo’s facilities in New Taipei City and the Neihu district of Taipei, where Apollo Systems is officially registered.
Wu remained silent as she was taken in for questioning, as captured by local news footage. Economic Minister Kuo Jyh-huei addressed the media, asserting that Gold Apollo’s pagers, made in Taiwan, contained only basic components like low-end integrated circuits and batteries, which would not be capable of exploding.
Kuo highlighted that Gold Apollo had exported 260,000 pagers over the past two years without any incidents of explosion, underscoring the company’s commitment to safety and quality. The ongoing investigation seeks to uncover the full extent of the situation and determine the origins of the explosive devices linked to Hezbollah’s operations in Lebanon.
When asked about the pagers utilized by Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, Premier Cho Jung-tai firmly stated, “We can be certain that they are not produced in Taiwan.” He further emphasized on Friday that “the company and Taiwan did not directly export pagers to Lebanon.”
Earlier in the week, Gold Apollo clarified that the specific pager model referenced in media reports “is produced and sold by BAC.” However, a spokesperson for the Hungarian government countered that BAC Consulting KFT operates solely as a trading intermediary and does not have any manufacturing or operational facilities in Hungary.
