Gold Apollo, the Taiwanese company whose pagers reportedly exploded in Lebanon, killing nine alleged Hezbollah fighters while injuring over 3,000, has claimed that it didn't make the devices, albeit had only licensed its name.
Company’s founder Hsu Ching-Kuang told reporters that the explosion were made by a company in Europe that has the right to use the Taiwanese firm’s brand.
"The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," said Hsu.
Hsu added that his company Apollo was also a victim of the incident.
"We may not be a large company but we are a responsible one," he said. "This is very embarrassing."
The company in a statement released stated that the AR-924 model was produced and sold by BAC.
"We only provide brand trademark authorisation and have no involvement in the design or manufacturing of this product," the statement said.
Images of destroyed pagers showed a format and stickers on the back that were consistent with pagers made by Gold Apollo. A senior Lebanese officer told Reuters that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 pagers from the Taiwan-based company.
(More to follow)