Russia Accuses Georgia of Helping Militants in North Caucasus
Russia’s National Counter-Terrorism Committee has claimed that Georgia was providing assistance to one of the Islamist insurgent groups in North Caucasus in its "terrorism activities."
National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NAK), which is Russia’s government body operating under the Federal Security Service (FSB) and coordinating anti-terrorism policies , leveled the allegation in its written statement on its website on August 12.
Russia said its security forces killed six militants in Makhachkala, Dagestan on August 10-11, including the group’s leader Abdulla Mogamedaliyev.
"Through his foreign emissaries Mogamedaliyev maintained contacts with the Georgian special services, which were providing him assistance in carrying out terrorist activities," the statement released by NAK reads, providing no further details of its allegation.
Russian officials are time after time accusing Georgia of assisting Islamist insurgents in North Caucasus, or sometimes even hinting on Georgia’s possible involvement in various terrorist acts in Russia. Those allegations, however, are mainly made in thier verbal remarks; this recent allegation is a rare case when the allegation has been voiced through a written statement.
In its recent report on Russia-Georgia conflict released on the third anniversary of the August war, the Brussels-based think-tank International Crisis Group wrote that "the third-country diplomats say they have seen no supporting evidence" of these sporadic allegations by the Russian officials.
"The Russians do not seem entirely serious about their allegations, using them instead perhaps to prepare the ground to blame Georgia should there be a grave breach of security in Russia, especially around the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games," the report reads.
International Crisis Group called on Georgia to refrain from responding "nervously to every Russian politician’s allegation" and urged Russian officials to refrain from "making unsubstantiated and provocative allegations without firm evidence."