Defense Minister Rules Out South Ossetia Link to Gori Blast

Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said that forces behind the terrorist act in Gori were aimed at escalating tensions between Georgians and Ossetians.

?These people [behind the terrorist act] wanted us to blame the South Ossetian side and drag us into conflict,? Irakli Okruashvili said in an interview to the Imedi television late on February 1.

He said that the car bomb explosion, which killed three policemen, was planned almost a month ago.

?A person, whom we suspect [to be behind the blast] registered the car, where explosive was detonated, under his name one month ago,? he said.