5 people arrested in Pankisi on charges of membership in a terrorist organization to be formally charged today.

The officers of the Counterterrorism Center of the State Security Service of Georgia, in cooperation with the relevant units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, detained yesterday 5 citizens of Georgia as a result of special activity carried out in Kakheti.

Investigation establishes that they have joined the ranks of terrorist organization “Islamic State” and were planning to travel to terrorist camps in Syria. In order to prove loyalty, they pledged allegiance to the current leader of the terrorist organization “Islamic State” and disseminated the video footage which depicted the pledging of allegiance to the individuals linked to terrorists. The members of the group have openly expressed support to the terrorist organization, systematically demonstrating terrorist symbols while moving in the streets.

The leader of the group supporting the terrorist organization, has been openly stating that he was the representative of terrorist organization “Islamic State” and emir of Georgia. The abovementioned individuals had joined the ranks of the terrorist organization with his help and were planning to travel to Syria. They had been periodically conducting secret meetings discussing the developments in the territories of Syria and Iraq and future plans existing with regard to Georgia.