Terrorism suspect from Pankisi Gorge dies from head injury
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19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili, who was accused of supporting terrorists, died early today at a hospital in capital Tbilisi, after about two weeks of being in a coma.
Machalikashvili was wounded by law enforcers on December 26 during an anti-terrorist raid in the country’s Muslim-populated Pankisi Gorge.
From five suspects only Machalikashvili was wounded as he intended to use a hand grenade when the special unit servicemen rushed into his house, Georgia’s State Security Service says.
Doctors told the media that the young man suffered from a severe head injury and the government of Georgia planned to transport him to Turkey for better treatment in the coming hours.
The family of the deceased man dismisses any links with terrorists and claims Machalikashvili was mistakenly shot by a law enforcer, as the letter could not differentiate a mobile phone from a hand grenade.
Georgia’s State Security Service says they have evidence proving Machalikashvili’s connections with the Islamic State terrorist Ahmed Chatayev, who blew himself up in Tbilisi on November 22, during a counter-terrorism operation.
The Security Service released a video, depicting Machalikashvili with Chatayev’s allies in Tbilisi.
Georgia’s Public Defender Nino Lomjaria vowed she would take all measures to specify all details of the case.
Chronology of events
- A large-scale counter-terrorism operation took place in the outskirts of Tbilisi on November 21-22, which saw three suspects killed, Chatayev among them, one suspect detained, one special unit serviceman killed and four others wounded.
- On December 26 the Security Service conducted a raid in Pankisi, when four people were detained and Machalikashvili wounded. The State Security says the five supported the Chatayev’s group to come to Georgia from Turkey, find shelter and weapons.
- The Security Service detained one more man in Akhmeta region yesterday, a Georgian citizen Zurab Idoidze, and reported the man acted with the five to support Chatayev to arrive to Georgia and arrange terrorist attacks.
- The Security Service says Chatayev’s group planned terrorist attacks on diplomats in Georgia and Turkey.
- Investigation is carried out for financing, providing other material support and resources to terrorist activities which caused grave results. If confirmed the detainees will face 17 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
The State Security Service of Georgia has arrested a man for allegedly helping Akhmed Chataev, Islamic State-linked terrorist, entering Georgia. The agency said that a special operation was held today in Akhmeta, Georgia to detain Georgian citizen Zurab Idoidze.
The suspected terrorists killed in the Tbilisi counter-terrorist operation on November 22 were planning to attack diplomatic missions in Georgia and Turkey, says the Georgian State Security Service. The Service revealed the results of the ongoing investigation this afternoon.
Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) has confirmed that one of the three killed suspects in the Tbilisi counter-terrorist operation on November 22 is an Islamic State-linked, Russia citizen of Chechen origin, Ahmed Chataev. SSS stated that two suspects were killed by Georgian law enforcers, while "Chataev exploded himself.”
One suspected terrorist has been arrested and three killed during today’s anti-terrorist operation on Gabriel Salosi Street in Tbilisi, the State Security Service announced a short time ago. Nino Giorgobiani, press speaker of the State Security Service, described in a detailed statement how the operation was conducted and how many people were arrested.
Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze has offered the family of recently deceased terrorism suspect Temirlan Machalikashvili to meet in Tbilisi, at Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office headquarters.
Georgian State Security Service and the Interior Ministry acted jointly to detain 21-year-old Ruslan Shavadze, an accomplice of the Islamic State terrorist Akhmed Chatayev who blew himself up in Tbilisi last year during a counter-terrorism operation.
Turkish court has released ten individuals, including one Georgian citizen detained for alleged contacts with the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Father of deceased terror suspect Temirlan Machalikashvili, Malkhaz Machalikashvili, attempted to kill the former deputy head of Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) Ioseb Gogashvili, the State Security Service of Georgia announced at a special briefing earlier today.
Father of deceased terror suspect Temirlan Machalikashvili, Malkhaz Machalikashvili, does not deny that he may have had a conversation with his relative regarding a terror attack on former deputy head of Georgia’s State Security Service Ioseb Gogashvili, as “he had such thoughts during a time of much anger.”
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has launched a discussion on the high profile case of terrorism suspect Temirlan Machalikashvili, who received a fatal injury during an anti-terrorist raid in Georgia’s Muslim-populated Pankisi Gorge back in 2017.
The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), an organisation working on human rights issues, has demanded a crime scene reenactment and re-interrogation of special unit officers in the high-profile Temirlan Machalikashvili case, a 19-year-old who received a deadly wound during an anti-terrorist raid in Georgia’s Muslim-populated Pankisi Gorge back in 2017.
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has ended its investigation into the high profile Temirlan Machalikashvili case, that of a 19-year-old terrorist suspect who received a fatal injury during an anti-terrorist raid in Georgia’s Muslim-populated Pankisi Gorge back in 2017. The Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson stated at a special briefing earlier today that they uncovered ‘no abuse of authority’ in the case.
The United National Movement (UNM), European Georgia, Droa and Girchi - More Freedom opposition parties will nominate Malkhaz Machalikashvili, the father of a terrorism suspect killed during a police raid back in 2017, for their joint majoritarian candidate for the Duisi election constituency in eastern Kakheti region in the October 2 municipal race.