Georgian special services name detained Pankisi Gorge residents

The young people detained on charges of involvement in the "Islamic State" (IS)* are from 18 to 20 years old. They took an oath of allegiance to the terrorist organization and recorded it on video, the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 24, the SSS conducted a special operation in the villages of Koreti and Duisi in the Pankisi Gorge and detained at least five local residents, accusing them of participating in a terrorist organization.

According to the SSS, all the detainees "took an oath of allegiance to the IS* and planned to leave for Syria to fight for terrorists there," the "Kommersant" has written.

The names of four out of five detainees are known: Magomed Machalikashvili, Yusuf Tsatashvili, Gamza Bagakashvili and Ramaz Kavtarashvili. They are from 18 to 20 years old. The name of the fifth one was not disclosed; presumably, he is accused of organizing the grouping that had taken an oath of allegiance to the IS*.

The detainees' relatives deny their guilt, calling them devout Muslims who often visited the mosque, and "peaceful children."

According to the SSS, the video with their oath of allegiance to the IS* was provided by the young men to persons linked with the terrorist organization, the "Georgia-Online" has reported.