Taiwanese prosecutors have questioned four individuals so far in connection with an investigation into a series of pagers that exploded in Lebanon last week. The detonations, which reportedly killed 12 people and injured thousands, have raised alarm and scrutiny over the supply chain behind the devices. These pagers, carrying the branding of a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo, were weaponized and remotely detonated in an attack believed to target Hezbollah operatives.
Authorities have confirmed that the four people questioned include past and current employees of Gold Apollo, a firm based in New Taipei City. The investigation is ongoing, and the questioned individuals are considered witnesses at this stage, according to the Shilin District Prosecutors Office in Taipei.
🚨Thousands of Hezbollah radio devices – Walkie-Talkie – have exploded during the past hour, in what appears to be the second wave of the attack.
These devices had much more explosive than the pagers. pic.twitter.com/PPBPGvni3k
— Olia (@OliaOnX) September 18, 2024
The blasts, which took place across Lebanon and Syria, are believed to have been the result of sabotage. Although Israeli security sources suggested Israel’s involvement in planting the explosives, the Israeli government has not confirmed these allegations.
Gold Apollo, which specializes in communication technology, has denied any direct responsibility for the incidents. The company claims that it merely licensed its brand to a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, which manufactured the devices. Despite Gold Apollo’s insistence that it had no role in the devices’ weaponization, Taiwanese investigators have searched the company's offices along with BAC Consulting’s local branch.
Israel assassinated Hezbollah's Chief of Staff in middle of Beirut. So Hezbollah realized it could no longer use cell phones and switched to pagers. They were unknowingly buying explosive pagers from Mossad
Hezbollah thought they could outsmart Mossad on technology – wrong move! pic.twitter.com/KOxiYWh8h5
— uMbuzo Wethu? (@uMbuzo_Wethu) September 17, 2024
The investigation has extended beyond Taiwan, involving officials from several countries. Authorities in Bulgaria, Norway, and Romania are cooperating as part of the broader probe to track the source of the components used in the pagers.
Taiwanese officials have repeatedly stated that the pagers were not manufactured in Taiwan, attempting to distance the nation from any involvement in the attacks.
Among those questioned is Hsu Ching-kuang, the founder and president of Gold Apollo. He, along with Teresa Wu, the sole employee of another related company, Apollo Systems, was interrogated last week. Both have so far declined to speak publicly about the situation. Taiwanese prosecutors have refrained from naming the other witnesses but stress that they are expediting the investigation.
The motive behind the explosions remains unclear. Investigators are focusing on how and when the pagers were tampered with and weaponized. The incident has intensified concerns in the Middle East as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue to escalate. The use of remotely detonated pagers in such a high-stakes conflict has introduced a new dimension of risk to the already volatile region.
