Georgia Denies Chechen Terrorist Suspects Presence in Pankisi

(Tbilisi, June 18, Civil Georgia) – Georgian President denied Russian official’s report that the Chechen terrorist suspects are hiding in Georgia’s troubled Pankisi gorge.

“Reports like these contradicts cooperation that is established between Georgian and Russian security services,” President Shevardnadze said at the news briefing on June 17.

Russian media sources reported on June 16 quoting Russian Federal Security Service official Yevgeni Protsenko that three terrorists suspected in masterminding explosions of the apartment buildings in Volgodonsk in 1999 are harboring in Pankisi gorge where allegedly Chechen fighters and terrorists groups linked to Al Qaida organization are hiding.

Recently Russian officials claimed that Chechens suspected in organizing terrorist attacks in northern Caucasian towns of Russian Federation (Vladikavkaz, Kaspiisk) are also hiding in Pankisi gorge. 

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