Dozens of people died in a second wave of explosions in Lebanon. According to the manufacturer, radio devices that were presumably blown up in the explosions have not been manufactured for years.
According to the Japanese manufacturer, the radios that presumably exploded in Lebanon have not been produced for ten years. “The IC-V82 is a handheld radio that was built and exported from 2004 to October 2014, including to the Middle East,” the Icom company said on Thursday. “Production was stopped about ten years ago and our company no longer supplies them.”
Lebanon: Communication devices detonate again – dozens dead, hundreds injured
Hundreds of so-called walkie-talkies exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday. Among other things, they exploded in a southern suburb of the capital Beirut, where a memorial service was being held for members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia who had been killed the previous day by exploding pagers. The militia blames Israel for the explosions and threatens retaliation. Israel has not commented.
Walkie-talkie manufacturers: Devices have not been produced for a decade
According to media reports, the radios that exploded on Wednesday bore the Icom logo. The Japanese company initially stated early Thursday morning: “There are reports in the global media that walkie-talkies with the Icom logo exploded in Lebanon.” This is being investigated.
The company later released a longer statement announcing that the devices had not been produced for ten years. “Production of the batteries required to operate the main unit has also been discontinued,” it said. Icom also pointed out that it had not applied hologram seals or similar protective measures against product counterfeiting to the devices. “It is therefore not possible to determine whether the products were delivered by our company” or whether they were illegally copied walkie-talkies.
Source: Stern
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