Two individuals affiliated with Taiwanese companies were questioned multiple times as part of an investigation into pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, Taipei investigators reported Friday.
The origin and supply of the devices have been the subject of intense speculation following a series of explosions across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, where hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies detonated, resulting in the deaths of at least 37 people and nearly 3,000 injuries.
According to The New York Times, Israel allegedly planted explosive materials in a shipment of pagers from Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, citing anonymous American and other officials. However, Hsu Ching-kuang, the head of Gold Apollo, denied that his company manufactured the devices, attributing responsibility to BAC Consulting KFT, a Hungary-based partner permitted to use Gold Apollo’s trademark.
As part of the investigation, Hsu and another woman from a different company were questioned by Taiwanese prosecutors on Thursday. Local reports identified the woman as Wu Yu-jen, a representative tied to BAC Consulting KFT, who had established a Taipei-based firm called Apollo Systems.
“The government is treating this matter with utmost seriousness,” stated Taipei’s Shilin District Prosecutor’s Office on Friday. “We have instructed the National Security Bureau to conduct further interviews with two individuals from Taiwanese companies as witnesses.” Both individuals were released after multiple rounds of questioning.
“We aim to establish the facts swiftly, including whether Taiwanese companies were involved,” added the prosecutor’s office.
Authorities also conducted searches at four locations, including New Taipei City’s Xizhi District, where Gold Apollo is based, and Taipei’s Neihu District, the registered address of Apollo Systems, a company established in April of this year.
Local TV footage showed Wu declining to speak to reporters as she was escorted for questioning. Hsu also refrained from commenting on the investigation as he was shuttled between his office and the prosecutor’s office on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Gold Apollo issued a statement claiming that the pager model in question “was produced and sold by BAC.” However, a spokesperson for the Hungarian government clarified that BAC Consulting KFT is “a trading intermediary without any manufacturing or operational facilities in Hungary.”
