State Security Service: Threat of terrorism remains low in Georgia
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The head of Georgia’s State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri stated in parliament today that the threat of terrorism remains low in Georgia.
Gomelauri told lawmakers that in 2017 the State Security Service managed to prevent terrorist acts, referring to the November 22-23 and December 26 large-scale anti-terrorism raids in Georgia, which saw the death of the Islamic State terrorist Achmed Chatayev and his accomplices and the arrest of several individuals on terrorism related charges.
There were attempts to finance terrorism in Georgia last year, as well as to support terrorism ideas and radicalise some Georgian citizens. The Security Service acted in line with law to prevent terrorism attacks, neutralise threats and reveal suspects,” Gomelauri said.
He stated that his body also uncovered the individuals, who were tasked by "foreign countries’ intelligence services” to encourage anti-western propaganda in Georgia, tried to damage Georgia’s image as a reliable foreign partner.
Gomelauri stated that one of the key challenges for the State Security Service is the current situation in the country’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.
Russia is carrying out the gradual annexation of Georgian regions,” Gomelauri said.
He stated that Archil Tatunashvili’s death once again confirmed the "very grave security situation” in the breakaway regions.
The Georgian State Security Service wrote in its annual report released today that the presence of Russian forces in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions is the "major threat” to the Georgian state.
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.”
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.
The report says that 126 Georgian citizens were illegally detained by Russia-controlled border guards last year at the Georgia-breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) occupation line and 52 others at the Georgia-occupied Abkhazia so-called boundary line.
The Georgian government has adopted a National Counterterrorism Strategy. The strategy was developed by a permanent Interagency Commission comprised of different state authorities and chaired by the State Security Service.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that Georgia is on the team of its strategic ally the United States to defeat the terrorist organisation Islamic State.
The Georgian State Security Service writes in its 2018 report that Russian forces tried to use the two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) to conduct clandestine, illegal operations.
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).
Head of Georgia’s State Security Service Vakhtang Gomelauri has reported to parliament today, stating that the number of supporters and the influence of the terrorist Islamic State has “significantly” decreased in Georgia.
Georgia has allowed the extradition of an ethnic Chechen Russian citizen Ramzan Akhiadov to Russia, who was charged with terrorist activities and recruiting people for Islamic State between 2013 and 2015 by the Russian Prosecutor’s Office.
The US Department of State said in its recent report on terrorism that in 2018, “Georgia, a longstanding member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, continued its robust engagement with the United States across a range of counterterrorism-related issues”.
Officers of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service (SSS) have detained the deputy head of Chugureti district for abuse of office, reports the State Security Service.
The Government of Georgia will approve the National Counterterrorism Strategy and Action Plan on Monday, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced at today’s government meeting.