Gruzia Online reported on August 22, 2016, that 7 suspected terrorists in Georgia were arrested for plotting attacks on area gas pipelines, that conveys natural gas from Russia to Armenia.
5 people were directly involved in the terrorist attack attempt and were only identified as Beka B, Vledimir R, Mindia V, Jaba M and Nuri Ch.
A 6th detainee, named as Levan M, was charged with exceeding official powers in relation to the alleged offence as he was an acting employee of Georgia’s Patrol Police.
The 7th alleged offender, named as Irakli B, was charged with concealing a crime.
Savle Motiashvili, an investigator of the State Security Service of Georgia, emphasized at the special briefing that a group of 7 illegally purchased and kept firearms and explosives utilities with the intention of bombing an open section of the gas pipeline which connects Russia and Armenia in the vicinity of Saguramo village, on the river Aragvi.
An acting Patrol Police officer of Poti city, Levan M., and citizen of Georgia, Irakli B, were also detained and are being accused of having links with a terrorist organization.
According the investigator, on August 20 the members of the criminal group travelled to the forest in the vicinities of Zhinvali-Shatili highway to collect explosives from the cache.
At the scene, the Counterintelligence Department hound four pieces of 200 gram coils of TNT, two types of fuse, five capsule-detonators and one Russian VZD charge in the car of the detainees.
Motiashvili also emphasized that during an additional inspection, the officers seized three automatic weapons with cartridges and ammunition, and a map marked with targeted locations to attack.
The representative also said one of the group memebers often visited Ukraine, but there is still no information whether the group has been directed from abroad or not.
The investigation is being carried out by the State Intelligence Department of Georgia.
