NEWS

State Security Service arrests leader of one of terrorist groups Islamic State, Georgian citizen Malkhaz Paksashvili

The Service said it continued to fight international terrorism, and noted Georgia remained “one of the active members and reliable partners” of the international counter-terrorist system. Photo via State Security Service

Agenda.ge, 22 Apr 2023 - 13:46, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian State Security Service on Saturday announced the detention of Georgian citizen Malkhaz Paksashvili, the leader of one of the groups of the terrorist organisation Islamic State, by its Counterterrorism Centre.

The Service said Paksashvili had left Georgia in 2013, joined ISIS in the Middle East, and in 2013-2015 had been enrolled in the so-called Military Emirs, a group of brothers Tsezar and Tsiskara Tokhosashvili, “actively participating” in combat operations. The detainee had close ties with the high-ranking military commanders of the Islamic State.

Photo via State Security Service

The crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 17 years.

The Service said it continued to fight international terrorism, and noted Georgia remained “one of the active members and reliable partners” of the international counter-terrorist system.

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