A Taiwanese company has denied media reports that it was the manufacturer of the pagers that exploded yesterday in Lebanon, killing nine people and injured about 2,800, DPA reported, BTA reported.
The manual of “Gold Apollo“ told the media today that the pagers that blew up yesterday had the company's logo on them, but they were not made by it. The company told DPA that the devices were developed and manufactured by BAC, a company based in Hungary. “Gold Apollo“ did not specify where the company's production base is.
„Regarding recent media publications about the AR-924 pager, we clarify that this model is manufactured and sold by BAC,” the company said in a separate statement. “We only provide permission for the trademark and have no involvement in the design or manufacture of this product,” she added.
„Under the agreement, we grant permission to BAC to use our trademark to sell products in specific territories, but the design and production of these products are developed entirely by BAC,”, the statement further clarified. “We always adhere to the relevant regulations and maintain transparent and compliant cooperation with our partners,” said “Global Apollo”.
The Taiwanese company, founded in 1995, is a manufacturer of specialized wireless messaging systems. There are suspicions that Israel targeted communication devices used by the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah and was behind the explosions. The Israeli army has not yet commented on the events in Lebanon, but “Hezbollah” blamed the Israeli authorities and threatened retaliation.