Hezbollah pagers: Probe into explosions in Lebanon leads to questioning of two Taiwanese individuals

Taipei: Two individuals from Taiwanese companies were questioned as part of an investigation into pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, authorities said on Friday. Officials emphasised that the devices did not originate from Taiwan.

Concerns have risen regarding the source of these devices and how they reached the militant group after hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in at least 37 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries.

According to a report by The New York Times, Israeli officials allegedly inserted explosive materials into a shipment of pagers from Taiwan's Gold Apollo, based on information from American and other anonymous sources. However, Gold Apollo's head, Hsu Ching-kuang, denied any involvement in the production of these devices and suggested that the blame lies with their Hungary-based partner, BAC Consulting KFT, which had permission to use Gold Apollo’s trademark.

Local media identified the second individual questioned as Wu Yu-jen, a representative associated with BAC Consulting KFT, who established a company in Taipei called "Apollo Systems." 

"Our country takes the case very seriously," said the prosecutors' office in Taipei's Shilin district in a statement Friday. "We instructed the Investigation Bureau's national security station to further interview two people from Taiwanese companies as witnesses yesterday."

After extensive questioning, both individuals were permitted to leave. "We will clarify the facts as soon as possible such as whether Taiwanese companies are involved or not," the office said.

Investigators conducted searches at four locations, including Gold Apollo's headquarters in New Taipei City's Xizhi district and Apollo Systems' address in Taipei's Neihu district. Neihu district is the listed address of Apollo Systems, according to a company registry website, which showed that the firm was established in April this year. Wu did not comment to reporters when she arrived for questioning on Thursday, as shown in local TV footage.

Economic Minister Kuo Jyh-huei stated on Friday that the pagers produced by Gold Apollo used "low-end IC (integrated circuits) and batteries." "These things would not explode," he said, adding that Gold Apollo had exported 260,000 pagers in the past two years and "there has never been an explosion". When pressed on the pagers in Lebanon used by Hezbollah operatives, he said: "We can be certain that they are not produced in Taiwan."

Premier Cho Jung-tai also reiterated Friday that "the company and Taiwan did not directly export pagers to Lebanon". Earlier this week, Gold Apollo said the pager model mentioned in media reports "is produced and sold by BAC". But a Hungarian government spokesman said BAC Consulting KFT was "a trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary".

Agency