19:48, 28 December 2017

Four Pankisi detainees arrested

A special operation in Tbilisi. Photo © Sputnik / Levan Avlabreli https://sputnik-georgia.ru/incidents/20171122/238260782/Specoperacija-v-Tbilisi-zaderzhan-predpolagaemyj-terrorist.html

Today, in Tbilisi, the court has pronounced the decision to take into custody four men detained during a special operation in the Pankisi Gorge and accused of aiding and abetting terrorists.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 26, after the special operation conducted in the villages of Omalo and Duisi in the Pankisi Gorge, the law enforcement bodies reported the detention of five Georgian citizens, including Zurab Gornakashvili, Ruslan Aldamov, Ramaz Margoshvili, Badur Chapanashvili and Temirlan Machalikashvili. All of them, except for Temirlan Machalikashvili, are charged with aiding and abetting terrorists.

Today, Temirlan Machalikashvili, wounded in his head, has been transferred to a hospital in Tbilisi, the "InterPressNews" reports.

According to the State Security Service of Georgia, he wanted to throw a grenade to law enforcers, and they wounded him. The suspect's relatives have denied the version voiced by the law enforcement bodies. The Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the excess of power by law enforcers.

According to the prosecutors, Akhmed Chataev, who was killed in a special operation in Tbilisi, put forward several demands to the authorities, including the release of a man detained by the State Security Service of Georgia. Otherwise, Akhmed Chataev threatened to commit terror acts, the "Georgia Online" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.