Listen to the article
Norta Global Ltd has emerged in the investigation of the booby-trapped pagers that exploded on Tuesday in Lebanon, killing 12 and injuring over 3,000, mostly Hezbollah fighters.
According to Hungarian media Telex, this Bulgarian company, founded on April 14, 2022 (one month after the establishment of the Hungarian PR firm BAC Consulting Kft), is reportedly behind the deal to manufacture the pagers.
Based in Sofia, Norta Global Ltd is owned by Norwegian Rinson Jose and is registered with a domiciliation service provider, along with 196 other groups.
Telex claims that Norta Global Ltd purchased the devices from Taiwanese firm Gold Apollo and facilitated their delivery and sale to Hezbollah.
This Is Beirut has confirmed through a source close to the investigation that Norta Global Ltd was involved in the purchase of the booby-trapped pagers. Although the company specializes in managing technological projects and does not manufacture communication devices, it may have functioned as a front. In response to suspicions about the Bulgarian firm’s involvement in this unprecedented case, Sofia has announced that it will investigate the links between Norta Global Ltd and the explosive communication devices found in Lebanon, according to Reuters.
The two other companies accused have quickly disclaimed any responsibility. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Taiwanese company Gold Apollo attributed the production of the booby-trapped pagers—bearing its brand—to the Hungarian firm BAC Consulting Kft. “Under a cooperation agreement, we authorize BAC Consulting Kft to use our brand to sell products in certain regions,” reads the statement. Gold Apollo further clarified, “The design and manufacturing of these products are entirely the responsibility of BAC.” Hsu Ching-Kuang, the company’s director, had emphasized as well, “Our role is strictly limited to authorizing the use of the brand and we are not involved in the design or production of these pagers,” he asserted, underscoring, “These are not our products… They are not our products at any stage.”
The Taiwanese Ministry of Economy has addressed the issue, confirming that Gold Apollo “had exported 260,000 pagers between 2022 and 2024 to European and American markets.” The ministry added that “according to the company’s reports, there have been no incidents of explosions related to these products, and no documents indicate that the pagers were delivered to Lebanon.”
Hungary’s Response
The Hungarian government has also disavowed any involvement in the production of the booby-trapped pagers. On Wednesday, Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs stated on X that BAC is “a commercial intermediary with no operational production facilities in Hungary.” He added that “while the company’s manager is registered in Hungary, the devices in question have never been on Hungarian soil.” Kovacs was referring to Cristiana Rosaria Bársony-Arcidiacono, the sole manager of BAC, which has no employees. He further assured that “Hungarian security services are cooperating with all relevant international agencies and organizations,” concluding that “this case does not pose any risk to national security.”
As for Bársony-Arcidiacono, she acknowledged that BAC collaborated with Gold Apollo but denied any involvement in the matter. When asked by NBC News about the explosions, she stated, “I do not manufacture pagers; I am simply an intermediary. I believe there has been a misunderstanding.”
Is the Giant Icom Involved?
The situation took a dramatic turn on Wednesday with a new wave of explosions across Lebanon, this time involving Icom brand walkie-talkies. The Japanese manufacturer quickly denied any responsibility. “We sold approximately 160,000 walkie-talkies of this model both domestically and internationally. However, production and sales of these devices ceased in 2014,” stated Yoshiki Enomoto, Icom’s director, on Thursday. “Although it’s possible that the IC-V82 models could have originated from Icom, we cannot rule out the possibility of counterfeit products,” he emphasized.
Reviewing images of the booby-trapped walkie-talkies that surfaced after the explosions, Enomoto noted that “the damage to the batteries suggests they may have been replaced with ones designed to explode.”
In this context, Enomoto observed, “It is difficult to trace the distribution channels without verifying the serial numbers.”
Icom stated that the IC-V82 walkie-talkie was exported internationally, particularly to the Middle East, between 2004 and 2014.
In Lebanon, caretaker Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm echoed this view. In an interview with local channel MTV, he clarified that “the explosive devices did not enter Lebanon through an agent and did not pass through the ministry,” indirectly confirming Hezbollah’s involvement in smuggling operations within the country. He also noted that “production of these devices ceased years ago.”
Ogero, the public company managing fixed-line and internet services in Lebanon, reported that it “has not detected any breaches of the national network by the Hebrew State or any other party,” and emphasized that its technical teams are “working around the clock to ensure its security.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah is conducting its own investigation to determine the scope of the security breach that caused the cataclysm on Tuesday and Wednesday.
