Georgia says thwarted terrorist act on Russia-Armenia gas pipeline

PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian authorities say they have thwarted a "terrorist act" on a gas pipeline that supplies natural gas from Russia to Armenia, RFE/FL reports.

Georgia's State Security Service said in a statement on Monday, August 22 that seven individuals had been detained two days earlier.

Five of the suspects, all of whom are Georgian citizens, are facing charges of illegal purchase and storage of firearms, ammunition, and explosives "with the goal of carrying out a terrorist attack," the statement said.

According to the security service, the suspects were allegedly planned to blow up a gas pipeline near the village of Saguramo, some 20 kilometers from the capital, Tbilisi.

A police officer, Levan Mamporia, was also detained and is suspected of abuse of power.

A seventh suspect is accused of failing to “report a crime on the stage of its preparation.”