Russia Convinced That Tbilisi Is Protecting Chechen Terrorist Ruslan Gelayev

Reliable Russian sources are convinced that "Tbilisi is giving protection to the Chechen terrorist Ruslan Gelayev and his circle." They were commenting to RIA Novosti on a statement made by head of the Georgia intelligence service, Avtandil Iosilean. Iosilean admitted in an interview published on November 15 in the Georgian paper, Akhala Taoba, that he and former Minister of State Security Vahtangom Kutateladze had secured the "withdrawal" of Gelayev's detachment from Georgia to Abkhazia (Abkhazia is a self-proclaimed republic on Georgian territory, where numerous militants are now camped after escaped from Chechnya), on the instructions of President Eduard Shevardnadze.