Key Takeaways:
– The Japanese firm ICOM denies manufacturing the walkie-talkies that exploded in Lebanon.
– The handheld radios thought to be used in the attack have been associated with the Hezbollah armed group.
– ICOM suggests the devices might be counterfeit or a discontinued model with altered batteries.
– Israel’s spy agency, Mossad, is suggested to be responsible for the attacks, though no official statement has been made.
– ICOM is prepared to investigate if the devices are found to be counterfeits or legitimate products.
ICOM Denies Involvement in the Explosions
The Japanese communication equipment manufacturer, ICOM, recently denied making the brand of walkie-talkies thought to have exploded across southern Lebanon. The firm insists that it could not have produced the handheld radios used in the destructive attacks.
“There’s no way a bomb could have been integrated into one of our devices during manufacturing. The process is highly automated and fast-paced, so there’s no time for such things,” said Yoshiki Enomoto, a director at ICOM, in a recent interview outside the company’s headquarters in Japan.
Suspicion on Counterfeit Devices
ICOM claims to have stopped making the models of radios identified in the attack over ten years ago, further implicating the possibility of the devices being counterfeit. If the walkie-talkies turn out to be counterfeit, Enomoto stated that the company would have to investigate who created the bomb that resembles their product.
Enomoto suggested that the devices could have been a discontinued model containing batteries that had been modified to explode. “We can’t rule out the possibility that they are fakes, but there is also a chance the products are our IC-V82 model,” Enomoto said, pointing to images showing damage in the battery area of the devices used.
ICOM’s Historical Sales of IC-V82 Model
Between 2004 and 2014, units of the IC-V82 model were exported to locations including the Middle East. The company sold approximately 160,000 units of the model before discontinuing its production and sales in 2014. If the devices involved in the attacks turn out to be genuine, ICOM stated it would track their distribution to determine how they ended up in the wrong hands.
The Tragic Aftermath in Lebanon
Southern Lebanon experienced a wave of panic following the explosions, which, tragically, included some mourners at funerals for people killed in bombings the day before. The health ministry reported a death toll of at least 20 individuals, with over 450 injured in Beirut’s suburbs and the Bekaa Valley in the recent explosions, and a rising death toll—including two children—from the explosions that occured the day prior.
Alleged Role of Israeli Spy Agency
Israeli officials have refrained from commenting on the devastating explosions thus far. However, unidentified security sources placed the blame on Israel’s spy agency, Mossad. While no official claims have been made, many remain anxious for answers as Lebanon grapples with the far-reaching effects of these deadly attacks.
