Arab detained in Pankisi gorge not identified so far

The Georgian state security ministry has not yet identified the Arab detained three day ago in the Pankisi gorge. On Monday, the ministry sent an inquiry to France, as the detainee, born in Morocco, had a false French passport in the name of Khalid Omar Mali.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court of Georgia sanctioned a 3-month preliminary arrest of the detainee. He is charged with "connections with foreign terrorist organizations" under article 328 of the Georgian criminal code.

According to the police information, in 1999 he visited Georgia and the Pankisi gorge, then left for Azerbaijan and returned to an Arab country. A few months later he returned to Georgia. When detained, he had a camouflage uniform, Islamic books and a map of the Pankisi gorge on him.

According to the data of the Georgian state security ministry, Khalid Omar Mali had contacts with international terrorist organizations that were connected with Al Qaida. A few days ago the ministry's leaders announced that he had committed grave offences in a foreign country, according to the information available. The ministry does not rule out a possibility of extraditing the man, though not specifying the country.