Pro-Government Media Reports on Alleged Terrorism Plot Against Ivanishvili, as Georgian Fighters in Ukraine are Questioned

On July 23, another Georgian fighter in Ukraine, Gela Kakhabrishvili was questioned before a magistrate judge in the Tbilisi City Court in the classified investigation by the State Security Service on alleged insurrection state and terrorism. Following the questioning the comments made by Kakhabrishvili and his lawyer Mikheil Ramishvili to the media were presented by the pro-government media as proof that there has been an alleged plot to commit a terrorist attack against the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream party Bizdina Ivanishvili and “other high-ranking officials of the Georgian Dream.”

“A terrorist act is being prepared against Bidzina Ivanishvili and other leaders of the Georgian Dream. This statement was made by lawyer Mikheil Ramishvili a short time ago…” Imedi TV anchor announced in a sensational manner. The channel’s correspondent at the Tbilisi City Court said: “The four-day silence has been broken. The questioned individuals and their lawyers can no longer hide the main details of the case. The questioned Gela Kakhabrishvili made the information public a short time ago and confirmed that the State Security Service is investigating the terrorist plot against Bidzina Ivanishvili.” Other pro-government media echoed the narrative.

TV channel then aired the comments by the lawyer Ramishvili and Kakhabrishvili, who said that during the questioning the names of Bidzina Ivanishvili and several other Georgian Dream officials came up. When the pro-government TV Imedi journalist asked Mikheil Ramishvili whether the “bomb attack” on Bidzina Ivanishvili is being planned, the lawyer answered: “No, no bomb, God forbid..” “Terrorist act against him?” the same journalist pressed. “In any case, there is the talk as if something like this is being planned,” Ramishvili is heard replying in the TV Imedi video report.

Later on, speaking to RFE/RL‘s Georgian Service Mikheil Ramishvili noted that the SSSG investigators did not tell him as a fact that a terrorist act against Bidzina Ivanishvili or other GD leaders was being planned in Georgia.

“They just asked all sorts of questions – about personal life, communication. It was not stated as a fact that a terrorist act is being planned… I saw how this was reported based on my comments, as if a terrorist act is being planned and will take place… It’s absurd, this information [that a terrorist act is being planned] cannot be based on me,” the RFL/RL-Georgian Service quoted Ramishvili as saying.

In his comment to Mtavari TV, lawyer Ramishvili mentioned that, based on his knowledge, the investigation on the case has been ongoing since 2015, with an additional article related to the state coup added in 2017. He said that it’s not understandable why the matter has been dragged for so long and if there was such a risk then all necessary investigative and counter measures should have been taken by now.

The narrative about the alleged terrorist plot was also taken up and propagated by the GD parliamentary majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze. He claimed that the opposition-leaning TV channels, politicians, those questioned and their lawyers had deliberately kept silent in their comments over the past few days about the part of the investigation related to an article on the alleged terrorist acts. “They have been exposed by this,” Mdinaradze said.

A day earlier, on July 22 Tornike Chikovani, a lawyer of the one of the questioned Konstantine Jghamaia said that the investigation of his client is being conducted under Article 315 of the Georgian Criminal Code on conspiracy or rebellion intended to change the constitutional order of Georgia through violence, and Article 18-323 on terrorism preparation.

The leading GD figures tried to give the developments a global spin related to their favorite theme – the Global War Party conspiracy. “Pseudo liberal fascism’s agenda included Trump’s assassination attempt, Fico’s assassination attempt, hinting at Irakli Kobakhidze’s assassination. And now it turns out a bomb attack against Bidzina Ivanisvhili and us was planned…Is that a coincidence?!” Mdinaradze said.

More individuals are expected to be questioned in the coming days.

Meanwhile, last October, the State Security Service voiced another plot allegation, claiming that three Serbian trainers, who were brought to Georgia to participate in a program funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), were actively recruiting activists with the intent of orchestrating the violent overthrow of Georgia’s lawfully elected government. SSSG said these trainers were affiliated with CANVAS – Center for Applied Non-Violent Actions and Strategies. USAID and CANVAS said the trainings were aimed at raising awareness about nonviolent methods of civic activism and on training people on how to speak up for the issues that matter to their families and communities. Later, the SSSG summoned training participants – individuals from various walks of life for questioning. Nobody has been arrested in the case.

Also Read:

• 22/07/2024 – SSSG Summons Georgian Fighters in Ukraine
• 12/10/2023 – Security Service Summons Activists Amid “Trainings Plot” Allegations
• 18/09/2023 – SSSG Claims Conspirators are Planning “Destabilization and Civil Unrest”