Pankisi residents are sure of innocence of their detained fellow countrymen

The young people accused of involvement with the "Islamic State" (IS, a terrorist organization, banned in Russia by the court, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) had left for Turkey to work and could have moved to Syria earlier, if the intelligence services' version about their plans was correct, residents of the Pankisi Gorge assert. Special services imitate the fight against terrorism, but are pursuing their political goals, Malkhaz Machalikashvili, a candidate for the MP, has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 24, the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) conducted a special operation in the villages of Koreti and Duisi in the Pankisi Gorge and detained at least five local residents, accusing them of participating in a terrorist organization. The detained young people are from 18 to 20 years old.

The detained guys were at work in Turkey a month ago, and "if they had wanted to join the IS, they would have done it in Turkey," a local resident said on air of the "Mtavari Arkhi" TV Company.

Local residents claim that the detainees are believers and have nothing to do with terrorists.

Their parents confirm that their kids knew each other, but had no links with terrorism. They expect the children to be released as soon as possible and link their detention with the election campaign.

Tamaz Borchashvili, an MP from the "Georgian Dream" Party, was surprised by what happened on August 24. "For several years there has been nothing like this. The situation, terrorists and the IS (also known as ISIS) were not exposed in the Pankisi Gorge," he said.