Taiwanese electronics company founder says he’s ‘a victim’ of Lebanon’s exploding pagers

A Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Gold Apollo, has come under scrutiny after its pagers were linked to a deadly Hezbollah attack in Lebanon on Tuesday. Explosions triggered by pagers, reportedly carrying the company’s trademark, have thrust the little-known firm into the spotlight.

The company’s statement: Gold Apollo’s founder, Hsu Ching-kuang, denied involvement, claiming the devices were made by a European firm that licensed its brand. “I feel like a victim. I’ve been going about my own business for 30 years, why am I suddenly roped into this?” Hsu told reporters before police arrived to conduct an investigation. As Taiwan authorities are investigating the company’s claims and exports, Gold Apollo emphasizes that their Hungary-based partner, BAC Consulting, is solely responsible for the manufacturing and sales of the implicated pagers in Budapest. Hsu called the situation “embarrassing,” highlighting the firm’s compliance with regulations and long-standing global distribution ties. According to a senior Lebanese security source and another source who spoke to Reuters, Israel’s Mossad, known for its complex foreign operations, planted explosives inside pagers imported by Hezbollah, a Iran-backed militant group, several months prior to Tuesday’s explosions.
About the explosions: On Wednesday, Lebanon experienced a second wave of explosions involving electronic devices, including walkie-talkies and solar equipment, killing 14 people and injuring 450. The attacks occurred during funerals for Hezbollah members and a child killed by the initial pager explosions on Tuesday, which killed at least 12 people and injured nearly 3,000. The bombings, attributed to Israeli attacks, involved pagers that detonated in various public locations, causing widespread casualties and damage. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks, which led to confusion and fear across Lebanon.

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