Georgia holds 6 in purported plot against Saakashvili

Georgia's Ministry of State Security has announced the arrest of six persons for plotting to organize the assassination of Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili. The announcement was made at a news briefing today by Gigi Ugulava, Georgia's deputy minister of state security, a Rosbalt correspondent reported. Ugulava said the first arrests were made March 23, followed by further arrests yesterday. He said two suspects remain at large in Adjaria. Their names were not released.

The deputy minister said early information indicated that the group was planning to kill leaders of Our Adjaria, a party opposed to Aslan Abashidze, the leader of Adjaria. He said that information had been meant to mislead investigators. He said the investigation now has established that the actual target was Saakashvili. Ugulava said the suspects spent two days studying the routes used by the president and the structure and operations of his personal bodyguards and the like.