Anti-Crime Operation in Tbilisi

Suspected Terrorist Group Seized in Eastern Georgia

In the wake of the special operation in eastern Georgia on December 6, when the group of alleged terrorists was destroyed, Georgian law enforcers launched a large-scale anti-criminal operation in Tbilisi. Officials admit that crime situation in the capital city, as well as in the whole country is alarmingly grave.

On December 6 President Shevardnadze issued a special statement in connection with the aggravated criminal situation in the country, in which he said that after the anti-criminal operation in Pankisi gorge, criminal groups have fled to various regions of Georgia.

“A syndrome of insubordination and impunity has begun to reign among us,” Shevardnadze said, adding that he would conduct daily meetings on the crime situation with his Security Council and other advisers.

Nika Laliashvili, Spokesman for the Georgian State Security Ministry said at the special briefing on December 7 that regretfully, the capital has become a major center of gathering of the criminals. “The situation is reaching catastrophic scales,” he added.

As Laliashvili said, in the first phase of anti-criminal operation in Tbilisi, “before launching pinpoint strikes against criminal groups, we will have to reveal and probe all those who are in Tbilisi illegally, particularly we have to reveal all facts of violation of visa regime, as well as usage of forged passports”.

The State Security and Interior Ministries are already acting in this direction. All ethnic Chechen residents of Tbilisi are the prime suspects. Authorities took in dozens of foreigners, including Hizri Aldamov, the chief representative of the Chechen exile community in Georgia, to be fingerprinted. He suffered heart trouble at the police station and was taken to a hospital later.

Human right organizations have already voiced their concern over the situation, claiming that Chechens are being arrested illegally, without any charges.

“We are not arresting anyone. We are temporarily detaining all suspicious individuals that might be in Georgia illegally. Chechens also can be among them,” Nika Laliashvili said.

He admitted that it would be difficult to protect the human rights in such situation, but this problem requires special measures.

The Interior Ministry also denies that the special operations are directed against the ethnic Chechens. Paata Gomelauri, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry said on December 7 that during the night of December 6 to 7 law enforcers raided streets of Tbilisi seizing up to 80 suspicious individuals of different ethnicities.

He said that up to 12 criminal suspects are arrested; large number of weapons and explosives are seized as a result of the first day of the operation.

The anti-crime operation in the capital city started after the special task force of the State Security Ministry seized five-men group of armed terrorist suspects in Lagodekhi, near Pankisi gorge, eastern Georgia on December 6. One law enforcers was wounded in an exchange of fire. Four terrorists were killed and one terrorist, who was heavily wounded, died in a hospital later.

As the State Security Ministry reports, three of them, ethnic Karachaians, were wanted by the Russia Federal Security Service for blasting residential buildings in Moscow in 1999. Russia used the 1999 attacks on apartment buildings to justify its second war campaign in 10 years against Chechnya’s bid for independence.

Other two are Georgian citizens, who supposedly were guiding the terrorists on Georgian territory.

As Nika Laliashvili, official spokesman of the State Security Ministry, stated at a special briefing on December 7, leader of the group “Emir” Tagir Bejiev was a suicide-bomber who blew himself during the armed clash.

Laliashvili said that it is quite possible that members of this group were connected with abduction of British citizen Peter Shaw. “We are investigating this matter as well,” said the representative of the Security Ministry.

Law enforcers expect further worsening of the situation. The Sate Security Minister Valeri Khaburdzania already stated that Peter Shaw’s abductors, who still are not arrested, might continue kidnappings.

There are at least three persons abducted in Georgia currently. The law enforcers are looking for Sadi Sharipov, father of vice-president the Russian “LUKOil” company, abducted on December 1. Fate of monk Basil Machitadze and brother of famous Georgian soccer player Kakhi Kaladze, abducted last year, is still unknown.

By Giorgi Sepashvili, Civil Georgia