Taiwan and Bulgaria Deny Manufacturing Explosive Pagers for Lebanon

On September 20, Taiwan and Bulgarian authorities released statements denying any involvement in the production of explosive pagers that were recently used by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both governments took swift action following reports linking their countries to the dangerous devices.

Taiwan’s economy minister, Kuo Jyh-huei, addressed reporters, asserting that the components used in Hezbollah’s explosive pagers were not produced in Taiwan. “The components for Hezbollah’s pagers were not produced by us,” Kuo emphasized, clarifying his country’s position.

In addition, Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, expressed a keen desire to uncover the truth, insisting that Taiwan has never exported the specific pager model in question. This assertion aims to distance Taiwan from allegations connected to the equipment used in such violent incidents.

Bulgaria’s National Security State Agency echoed Taiwan’s statements, declaring that multiple government investigations found no evidence that the explosion-causing devices were imported, exported, or manufactured within Bulgaria’s borders. They further specified that a firm identified as “Nortal Global” did not engage in any transactions regarding the devices under Bulgarian jurisdiction.

Highlighting the complexity of the situation, Gold Apollo’s CEO, Hsu Ching-Kuang, acknowledged that his company had licensed its trademark to a Hungarian intermediary known as BAC Consulting. However, Hungarian authorities clarified that BAC Consulting lacked any manufacturing capabilities in Hungary. Therefore, they cannot be held responsible for the production of the pagers.

The situation escalated with allegations that Israeli intelligence may be linked to the attacks. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned that the recent blasts marked the beginning of a new phase in Israel’s ongoing conflict, though Israel has not formally claimed responsibility for the explosions.

According to a report from The New York Times, which referenced insights from three unnamed intelligence officials, BAC Consulting and two additional shell companies were allegedly established to obscure the involvement of Israeli intelligence in the manufacturing of the pagers.

Adding to the complexity, Japan’s Icom, Inc. stated that it did not manufacture the IC-V82 model walkie-talkies that also exploded in the recent incident in Lebanon. Icom clarified that this model had been discontinued nearly a decade ago and confirmed that no units have been shipped from their company since then.

The involvement of various companies and nations in the controversy surrounding these explosive devices illustrates the complicated nature of modern conflict and international relations. Each party has denied responsibility, while investigations continue to reveal more about how these weapons were accessed and deployed.

As tensions rise and the situation evolves, the insistence on accountability from affected governments underscores the necessity of transparency in matters relating to arms and explosives. The implications of these denials may affect diplomatic relations among the countries involved and could influence future security measures.