Woman whose firm was linked to exploding pagers is Under Hungarian Intelligence Protection
The woman whose company was linked to thousands of pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria this week is under the protection of the Hungarian secret services, her mother told The Associated Press on Friday.
Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono has not appeared publicly since the deadly simultaneous attack that targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah on Tuesday, and that has been widely blamed on Israel. She is listed as the CEO of Budapest-based BAC Consulting, the Taiwanese trademark holder of the pagers said was responsible for manufacturing the devices.
Her mother, Beatrix Bársony-Arcidiacono, told the AP that her daughter had received unspecified threats and “is currently in a safe place protected by the Hungarian secret services.”
She said by phone from Sicily that the “Hungarian secret services advised her not to talk to the media. “
Hungary’s national security authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the AP could not independently verify the claim.
Two days of attacks this week, first targeting pagers and then walkie-talkies, killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, including civilians. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government blamed Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
