Georgian Security Service Arrests One More Man For Allegedly Helping Terrorists

Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) has arrested Georgian citizen Anatoly Berdzenishvili in Tbilisi with charges of helping IS-linked terrorist Akhmet Chatayev and his group to enter Georgia.

The SSS reports the investigation established that the detainee travelled to Turkey in order to assist Ahmet Chatayev and the members of his group.

The SSS added the detainee along with earlier detained suspects Zurab Gornakashvili and Zurab Idoidze assisted Ahmet Chatayev and his group members at the Georgian-Turkish border in terms of traveling to the Kirnati-Maradidi green border section.

“Investigation is carried out according to Article 331(1), part III – Financing, Providing other Material Support and Resources to Terrorist Activities which caused grave results. The article envisages imprisonment for a term of 17 to 20 years or life imprisonment,” the statement of SSS reads.

Akhmet Chatayev and three of his group members were killed on November 22, 2017 in Tbilisi during the special operation in the Isani District.

In total, six men have been arrested with alleged links to the killed terrorists: Anatoly Berdzenishvili , Zurab Gornakashvili, Ruslan Almadov, Ramaz Margoshvili, Badur Chopanashvili and Zurab Idoidze.

One more person, Temirlan Machalikashvili, 19, who was wounded during the detention operation in Pankisi on December 26, died on January 10 in the hospital.

The SSS says the terrorists killed in November were planning to attack diplomatic missions in Georgia and Turkey.