Highly unlikely devices detonated in Lebanon are ours: Japan's ICOM
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"Chances are extremely low" that the walkie-talkies detonated across Lebanon are manufactured by ICOM, the Japanese company stated
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This photo shows a walkie-talkie device with the Icom logo at a shop in Tokyo’s Akihabara electric district on September 19, 2024. (AFP)
Japanese telecommunications manufacturer Icom denied claims that the wireless devices used in "Israel's" cyber attack against Lebanon were the company's products.
"In light of multiple pieces of information that have been revealed so far, chances are extremely low that the wireless devices that exploded were our products," Icom said in a statement issued Friday.
Despite the company's denial, images of the detonated walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah showed labels reading "ICOM" and "made in Japan."
Icom says no longer produces receiver involved in Lebanon blasts
Icom pointed out on Thursday that it discontinued production of the radio model reportedly involved in the recent explosions in Lebanon around a decade ago.
Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported that at least 20 people were killed and more than 450 injured in Wednesday's second wave of Israeli electronic attacks that led to the explosion of walkie-talkies used by the Lebanese Resistance group's members.
This followed the previous day’s simultaneous explosion of hundreds of pager devices, which killed 12 people, including two children, and injured up to 2,800 others across Lebanon.
"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," Icom stated.
The firm also clarified that the production of batteries required for the device had been discontinued and that the absence of a holographic seal, which is used to authenticate genuine products, made it impossible to confirm whether the device had been shipped by Icom.
Additionally, Icom emphasized that products destined for overseas markets are sold exclusively through authorized distributors, claiming that its export program adheres to Japanese security trade control regulations.
"All of our radios are manufactured at our production subsidiary, Wakayama Icom Inc., in Wakayama Prefecture, under a strict management system... so no parts other than those specified by our company are used in a product. In addition, all of our radios are manufactured at the same factory, and we do not manufacture them overseas," the statement read.
