Abductors of Spanish businessmen arrested in Pankisi Gorge

Two professional abductors have been arrested in the Pankisi gorge. This was announced yesterday by Press Secretary to the Georgian Ministry of State Security Nikolai Laliashvili. The two were arrested during an antiterrorist operation in the Pankisi gorge, led by the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of State Security. The prisoners are ethnic Chechens but citizens of Georgia.

Two Spanish businessmen were abducted in 2000 near Tbilisi airport. They were only released last year after a ransom of USD 1 million had been paid. On that occasion the criminals went unpunished. However, the two prisoners have already been identified by one of the former hostages, who is currently in Georgia.