Lebanon pager blasts: Budapest-based BAC Consulting KFT under scrutiny | 5 key facts about the company

Lebanon pager blasts: At least 11 people were killed, and more than 4,000 were injured, including 400 critical cases, when hundreds of pagers simultaneously exploded in parts of Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday. The pagers involved in the attack bore the branding of Taiwanese company Gold Apollo but were actually manufactured by Budapest-based BAC Consulting KFT.

Gold Apollo confirmed on Wednesday that BAC Consulting KFT manufactured the pagers branded with its name, which exploded in Lebanon and Syria during the reported Israeli attack on Hezbollah's communications network.

Here are a few facts about BAC Consulting KFT:

1. BAC Consulting KFT is a firm based in Budapest, Hungary.

2. The AR-924 pagers used in the attack were produced and sold by BAC Consulting KFT, which was authorised to use Gold Apollo's trademark in certain regions, according to a statement released by Gold Apollo on Wednesday, as reported by AFP.

3. Gold Apollo Chair Hsu Ching-kuang stated on Wednesday that the company had a licensing agreement with BAC Consulting KFT for the past three years. However, Hsu Ching-kuang did not provide any evidence of the contract.

4. According to BAC Consulting's LinkedIn profile, the company is involved in environmental, political, and development projects with broad scope and complexity.

5. The firm works with experts in environmental, innovation, and international relations. “With over a decade of consulting experience, we are on an exciting and rewarding journey with our network of passionate experts with a hunger for innovation and discovery for the Environment, Innovation & Development, and International Affairs,” BAC Consulting's LinkedIn profile said.

The AR-924 pagers caused the deaths of 11 people, including an 8-year-old girl, and injured more than 4,000. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have blamed Israel for the attack.

Reports indicate that the blasts were mainly concentrated in the southern Beirut suburb, the Beqaa region of eastern Lebanon, and Damascus—areas where the group has a sufficient presence.

Gold Apollo, which began operations in October 1995, specialises in POCSAG and FLEX protocol pagers. According to reports, the company initially aimed to produce numeric pagers for Taiwan.