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Islamic Army Threatens Us with Terrorist Acts

May 31, 2007

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Iraq Islamic Army protests Georgian soldier’s participation in peace-making operations. Several days ago, they sent threatening letter to Georgia which stated that if we go on cooperation with American people, they would arrange terrorist acts in Georgia.

The quotation from the letter: “President Saakashvili and his government will receive bloodshed in reply of their cooperation with the American people. We call upon you not to send a new contingent to Iraq. Otherwise we will attack your units in Iraq. We will hoist Jihad flags in Georgia with the support of Muslim brothers of our coalition. Saakashvili and his government will drown in blood because of cooperation with America.”

The letter is addressed to various people. Chairwoman of the Georgian Parliament, Nino Burjanadze, and part of parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition has received the message. The letter is signed by Ishmael Jibur in the name of Iraq Islamic Army.

Iraq Islamic Army was established in 2003. Its function is to kidnap people, arrange terrorist acts and blackmail people. It was the army who kidnapped Italian and French journalists several months ago.

Both the parliamentary opposition and majority are sure that it is a provocation. However they do not exclude the possibility that we face serious risks. One of the opposition leaders who received the warning letter, Irina Sarishvili, states that the author of the letter is current government. “I do not doubt that many bad things will start in Georgia very soon. And those disasters should have some explanations. Thus, if anything happens, the Georgian government will have somebody to blame for accidents. They will state that the authors of these letters have done it.”

Opposition assesses the warning letter half-seriously and half ironically. Mamuka Katsitadze said that they have reminded us of what we should have known ourselves. “It is quite natural that we are running a risk and our activities make the rival side to fight against us. When you arrive there to accomplish some concrete mission, it is obvious that you would attain an enemy and he would send you similar letters. They might start activities too. It is not unacceptable and we must not be surprised at all. The point is that when you increase the contingent, you must foresee your activities in the focus of similar threats. We are going to oppose very aggressive rival, the power, which outstands with its activities and terrorist acts. If we fail to foresee this moment, it means we are blind. I cannot notice anything new in this letter. They have reminded us of what we should have known ourselves.”
MP Giorgi Tsagareishvili confirms the fact that there are real threats in the letter. He says that nobody will like to have strange military units on its territory. “As for the letter, in general, nobody denies that we do face the danger. Who would have appreciated to have Iraq Peace-making contingent in Georgia and fight against him? Personally I would never like to see military boot of strange militants on my territory.  When the USA tried to approve its military operations in Iraq, they had quite different aims at that moment. For short, there are real threats in the letter; Iraq Islamic Army is also real who furiously fights against peace-keepers. There is another point. Anyone could have sent such letters. I was a bit confused when seeing the names of those people whom letters were sent to. It is a bit comic situation.”

Although representatives of the government are calm, the population is panicked. They are afraid of unleashing the series of terrorist acts in Georgia. Ordinary citizens in Tbilisi think that the terrorists can do anything and the Georgian government must do everything to avoid upcoming danger.

Levan Dalakishvili, a teacher: “I have heard about the letter from journalists. I cannot insist that it is reliable news but it is fact that we face some danger. We must not forget that we oppose terrorists and not some other governmental organization. I received quite a good education in military field and I cannot speak about this problem in fun. It is natural that the Islamic Army cannot stand strange army on its territory. Therefore they can do anything.”

Koba Liklikadze, journalist for the Radio Tavisufleba, and military expert, considers the letter unserious. However, like other respondents he does not deny that we really face some risk. “I doubt about the origin of this letter. It looks like being written by special operative forces. There is only one factor that can prove that the authors are Iraqi people-it coincided with increasing the number of Georgian contingent in Iraq.  Our contribution was quite large in Iraq before that too and sending similar warming letter only now is a bit suspicious. However, we must be careful. As for special operation units, they have done much worse things during their activities and I do not exclude the possibility that they might have written those letters. If we assess the situation from the other point, Georgia has been facing the danger from terrorist organizations since the very beginning when in 2003 Georgia sent fist military unit of 79 soldiers to Iraq. Since that time the number of the soldiers was gradually being increased. The previous and current governments of Georgia stated that all counties must be afraid of global terrorism and small counties are among them. It was Georgia’s choice to cooperate with progressive countries. The town of Akuba, where Georgian contingent is located now, is the front for controversy between Sunnites and Sheets, so it is very dangerous place. Several days ago two American soldiers died there. Accordingly we face serious menace.”

Eka Gulua

 

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