(Tbilisi February 6, 2003. Civil Georgia) – “Georgian law enforcers should clear-out Pankisi gorge from the particular persons, which remain in the gorge,” President Shevardnadze stated today, while awarding leadership of the Interior Ministry for the successful anti-crime operation in the gorge.
President said that the law enforcers should crackdown on militants remaining the gorge before the spring. He said that the law enforcers should “be prepared for the spring,” as active moves of the Chechen militants is anticipated across the Russo-Georgian border by that time.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell addressing the UN Security Council on February 5 said al Qaeda high-level operative al Zaqawi has created the terrorist network in Europe, with one of the cells in Pankisi gorge of Georgia.
“We know that Zakawi’s colleagues have been active in the Pankisi gorge, Georgia, and in Chechnya, Russia. The plotting to which they are linked is not mere chatter. Members of Zakawi’s network say their goal was to kill Russians with toxins,” Powell stated
Georgian State Security Ministry reported on February 6 that up to 60 criminals remain in Pankisi, which are wanted by the Georgian law enforcement agencies.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)