Japanese telecommunications company Icom said it was “extremely unlikely” that its walkie-talkie models were used in the explosions that targeted members of the Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon last week.
The Osaka-based company has been investigating whether its devices were used in such incidents after media outlets reported images of handheld transceivers bearing its logo allegedly exploding in Lebanon.
Icom had already indicated last week that the devices apparently involved in the explosions could be IC-V82 model walkie-talkies, devices that the company stopped producing and selling worldwide in 2014.
The firm then pointed to the possibility that the devices in question were counterfeits of its models or devices discontinued a decade ago to which modified batteries were added.
The company has now concluded that the chances of its models being used in the explosions are “extremely low” due to the “multiple reports” that have come to light on the subject, it said in its latest statement on the subject.
Icom noted in particular that the Lebanese Ministry of Communications stated that the radio transmitters that exploded were not approved by the national authorities and had not been imported by an authorised distributor.
The company also stressed that the devices involved in the incidents did not appear to have any identification sticker proving their authenticity, and said it has confirmed the existence of markets in the Middle East where counterfeit devices are sold.
The Japanese telecommunications firm only sells its products abroad in official stores and applies strict controls on its exports under the regulations of the Japanese authorities.
All of its radio transmission equipment is produced in Japan and complies with international safety standards for the sector, according to the firm, which added that it does not use parts from other manufacturers in its products.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, a series of explosions of pagers, walkie-talkies and other wireless communication devices used by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia left a total of 32 dead and more than 3,200 wounded.
You may also like:
