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Japanese Company Confirms Halt in Production of Walkie-Talkies Linked to Lebanon Explosions

Thursday 19 September 2024 - 16:46

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A Japanese telecommunications manufacturer, Icom, has found itself at the center of an investigation into the deadly explosions that rocked Lebanon. The company has issued a statement distancing itself from the walkie-talkies bearing its logo, which were implicated in the attacks that claimed the lives of at least 20 individuals and injured hundreds more.

The IC-V82 transceivers, identified as the devices used in the blasts, were reportedly purchased by the armed group Hezbollah five months ago. Icom, however, asserts that it discontinued production and export of these devices over a decade ago, raising questions about the origin and authenticity of the walkie-talkies involved.

"The IC-V82 is a handheld radio that was produced and exported, including to the Middle East, from 2004 to October 2014. It was discontinued about 10 years ago, and since then, it has not been shipped from our company," the manufacturer stated, adding that the batteries required to operate the units were also no longer produced.

The company further emphasized that all its radios are manufactured at a single factory in Japan and are distributed overseas via authorized channels, suggesting that the compromised devices may have entered the supply chain at a later stage.

This incident follows a similar bombing in Lebanon involving thousands of exploding pagers linked to the Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo. The founder of Gold Apollo has denied any involvement, claiming that his trademark was licensed to a Hungarian company, BAC Consulting, which has been difficult to contact.

As investigations continue, the supply chain of these explosive devices remains a mystery. It is unclear whether the walkie-talkies were old, discontinued models or counterfeit products, and how they ended up in the hands of Hezbollah.

Lebanon's Annahar newspaper reported that the Icom walkie-talkies were indeed old handsets, adding to the confusion surrounding the matter.

With the country still reeling from the first wave of attacks, the second wave of communication device explosions has left Lebanese citizens on edge, questioning the safety of their own devices.

As the world watches with concern, the focus now turns to uncovering the truth behind these deadly attacks and ensuring the prevention of such tragedies in the future.