'Taiwan not involved in blasts'

No evidence Taiwanese individuals involved in September attack targeting Hezbollah communications devices

TAIPEI:

Taiwan investigators said Monday there was no evidence that Taiwanese individuals or firms were involved in a deadly September attack targeting Hezbollah communications devices which exploded in Lebanon.

"Our investigation has verified that no nationals or domestic companies were involved in Lebanon's high-profile pager detonation incidents," Taiwan prosecutors said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Sunday he "greenlighted the pager operation".

Exploding pagers and walkie-talkies killed nearly 40 people and wounded nearly 3,000, and preceded Israel's ongoing military operation in Lebanon which has killed thousands more.

Questions and speculation have swirled over where the devices came from and how they were supplied to Hezbollah.

The New York Times reported previously that Israel had inserted explosive material into a shipment of pagers from Taiwan's Gold Apollo, citing American and other anonymous officials.

Gold Apollo has staunchly denied producing the devices.

Taiwan investigators on Monday cleared the company, its chairman and its employees of any involvement.

"No concrete evidence of criminal activity has been discovered in this case", said the prosecutors' office in Taipei's Shilin district.