Tbilisi Claims Retaliation Behind Abduction in S.Ossetia

The Georgian Interior Ministry reported on June 13 that the four Georgians who have been missing in breakaway South Ossetia since June 6 have been abducted by, as the Ministry put it, a South Ossetian ?criminal gang.?

The Ministry reports that the abduction was carried out by a group based in Tskhinvali as retaliation for an armed clash which occurred in the conflict zone on May 29. The clash resulted in the death of five people – four Ossetians and one Georgian policemen.

The Interior Ministry posted the names of the two persons allegedly involved in this abductionon on its official web-site. The report says one of the suspects is the son of Anatoly Kochiev, who died in the clash on May 29.

Georgian State Minister Goga Khaindrava told reporters on June 13, while commenting on this report, that he is not aware of the Interior Ministry?s source information, but added that ?retaliation was one possible version that has been considered by the law enforcers from the very beginning [of the investigation].?

No comment has yet been madefrom the authorities in breakaway South Ossetia regarding this report by the Georgian Interior Ministry.

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