Posted on 06/24/2005 2:28:49 PM PDT by lizol
Georgian TV Says Russian Soldier Held Over Grenade Attack on Bush
MosNews
Georgian authorities may accuse a Russian military servicemen of throwing a hand grenade at U.S. President George W. Bush during his visit to Tbilisi on May 10, Georgian TV station Rustavi-2 reported.
Georgian and U.S. investigators brought to a conclusion the criminal case launched in connection with the attack. Although they have not commented on the case, two theories have emerged.
According to the first theory, the counter-intelligence service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has a photograph of the suspect. Law enforcers are searching for him and official statements will be made only after his arrest.
According to the second theory, the hand grenade thrown during the U.S. president’s speech in Tavisuplebis Moedani (Freedom Square) was tossed into the crowd by a Russian military serviceman. He was allegedly detained two weeks ago while trying to leave Georgia and now he is in the hands of the Americans. Witnesses of the attack, however, know nothing about the second version.
An official statement on specific details is expected in three to four days.
Ping!
"He was allegedly detained two weeks ago while trying to leave Georgia and now he is in the hands of the Americans."
This should be interesting. The Georgians didn't hand him over to the Russians.
This is interesting. I hope GW has waken up to the fact the Rooskies are not and never will be our friends. I know I have.
There are certainly some OK individuals there, but all the "ex" aparatchiks and "ex" KGBers are not to be trusted.
"From Russia (Putin) With Love".
A bit over a week after Bush was there, the Georgians celebrated their independence from Russia. It's a huge day, their Independence Day.
The day before Independence Day in Tbilisi the military were coming in from all over the country on the main streets. Children were waving to the military from higher places -porches and bridges. I was unable to get my camera out in time to get pictures, but it was very heart-warming to see.
Suspect identified in Bush grenade incident
Speaking one day before the arrival of the U.S. president's brother, Saakashvili refuses to publish name or nationality of suspect
By Anna Arzanova
President Mikheil Saakashvili said at a late evening briefing on June 22 that Georgian authorities had identified a person suspected of throwing a hand-grenade on Freedom Square during U.S. President George Bush's address on May 10.
Stressing that Georgia has only political opponents rather than enemies inside the country, Saakashvili stated, "I don't know what to call anyone who would throw a hand-grenade during George Bush's visit to Georgia, nor in what country it is possible such people could be born," he stated.
"Someone, a disgraceful person - though not just someone, because we believe we know who it was - threw a grenade, but fortunately it did not detonate. Our enemies have no luck," he said, though he did not name the person suspected of the attempted attack, nor their country of origin.
The president was speaking one day before the arrival in Georgia of George Bush's brother Neil Bush on an unofficial visit.
Neil Bush arrived in Tbilisi on a special flight from Ukraine on Thursday. During his one-day visit he met with Saakashvili as well as with members of parliament and government representatives.
The owner of a company that produces educational programs, Neil Bush has expressed interested in educational reforms currently underway in Georgia, and during his brief stay he also met with Minister of Education Kakha Lomaia.
He was met at Tbilisi airport by representatives of the Federation of Georgian Businessmen, including Federation president Badri Patarkatsishvili.
Executive Director of the Federation Giorgi Isakadze told journalists that George Bush's brother was also going to hold meetings with Georgian business leaders.
"Neil Bush is being hosted by the Federation of Georgian Businessmen. This is a one-day private visit, during which he will have different kinds of meetings," Isakadze stated, adding that several business projects would be discussed.
According to Isakadze, the visit was planned during the last ten days and Bush arrived in Georgia together with another businessmen's group.
The brother of the U.S. president is scheduled to leave Georgia on Friday.
I have a feeling that this guy is one of the Jihadies that Georgia regularly allows through and stamps their visa on their way to Chechnya. If this was a Russia, the Georgians would parade him through the streets and would be on every roof yelling this fact. The fact that they will not release the name or nationality says a lot in and of itself.
Don't forget that Baseyov openly acknowledged his alliance with Saakashvili and Saakashvili has never refuted or commented on this.
I have little doubt we will find a Russian or the Russians had nothing to do with this attack.
Musta been on a diplomatic mission for Pootin'.
On the other hand, the fact they cover up the guy's identity and nationality suggest it was one of the hundreds of Al Quada Jihadies they give visas to to go to Chechnya. Four years ago the Russians even killed a Japanese Jihadi who had just crossed the border. Guess who's visa stamp was on his passport.
We would be sitting in Mexico City if the Mexicans pulled half the crap that the Georgians pull.
Obviously a Russian wanted to kill Bush and hoped it was blamed on Russia's enemy and America's ally Georgia. The Russians and their bootlicking sycophants will say absolutely anything to smear our ally Georgia as a pretext for the rebuilding of their lost lamented USSR.
What a conspiracy, mr. Nashi.
Only if you stop torturing my mind with what passes for you as logic.
You know, it's rather interesting not to see a single one of your brilliant posts on a single positive thread about the Russians. Hmmm, I wonder why? That is, posts that most people would consider positive, not the ones you comment on.
The 38-minute film entitled “Marsho”, which in Chechen means “freedom”, was directed by Murad Mazaev and presented at the 56th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland this month. The film already received a warm welcome at its premiere in Tbilisi earlier this year.
Georgia, which has sheltered thousands of Chechen refugees fleeing from the second Chechen war in 1999, has become a cultural harbor for many Chechens and the birthplace for the first ever Chechen feature film.
In early 1990s dozens of Chechens arrived in Tbilisi to study in Georgian universities, with the assistance of the Culture Minister of Chechnya, Ahmad Zaka! ev, now wanted by Russia. While many Chechens are perceived i! n Russia as terrorists, there are many well-educated and interesting people among the Chechen community in Georgia, such as writers, journalists and artists.
Surkho Idiev arrived in Tbilisi in 1991 and now studies at the Shota Rustaveli Theater and Cinema University. He was an assistant to Marsho’s director, Murad Mazaev, and acted one of leading roles in the film.
“The film is about the heredity of the generations in the Chechen resistance. It’s about a family and the war,” Surkho Idiev told Civil Georgia.
Marsho tells the story of a Chechen family whose eldest son dies in the fight against the Russian troops. At the moment of his death he tells a friend: “It is not painful… give the gun to my younger brother.”
“With this film we just wanted to say that the war in Chechnya will go on as long as Russia persists in the belief that there is a military solution. When a Chechen is killed there alway! s will be someone who will take the gun for revenge,” says Surkho, who also played one of the leading roles.
It was impossible to shoot all the scenes at the highest level with the tiny USD 14,000 budget. The battle scene is not really convincing. Two dozen dummy bullets and a smoke grenade is hardly enough for such a scene, but the cinematic qualities of the film matter less in this case.
“We do not have any seasoned actors in our movie. Only a couple of the leads are professionals. Most of actors were amateurs, including Chechen refugees,” Surkho says.
The film was shot in Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge last year, while the Georgian law enforcers were carrying out an anti-crime operation to clean the gorge of criminal gangs and Chechen fighters hiding there. For obvious reasons, Chechnya itself was out of the question for the young filmmakers. With the local Kist (ethnic Chechens, citizens of Georgia) population, plenty of mountains and! the presence of large number of troops in the gorge, Pankisi! was a perfect place to shoot this film.
Funding for Marsho came in part through Akhmed Zakaev. Other money was donated by charities in Turkey, which have been sympathetic to Chechens. Filmmakers say that some technical and material support also came from Vanessa Redgrave, the Oscar-winning British actress.
Surkho Idiev hopes that Marsho will be the beginning of a tradition of films created by Chechens. Production of another Chechen film, this one written by Surkho Idiev is expected to start this year. He did not want to talk about his next movie just yet, as it is considered bad luck to discuss a project before it gets off the ground. Idiev did say that he hopes to direct this next film.
“The [next] film will be about a story that repeats over and over. The action will take place in present day and some two centuries ago. Nothing has really changed since those times for us [Chechens],” Surkho says.
“So it will be about historica! l parallels. I want to make a movie which will show that We [Chechens] are not Them [Russians] and do not want to become Them, no matter how hard they push us. We can’t be like them. We do not want to be like anybody else. We want to be ourselves and we will be.”
By Giga Chikhladze
Basayev lies and I don't see a reason for the president of Georgia to comment on this. I couldn't find any information on this on the internet. Do you have something?
I just spoke with a lot of Georgians and I couldn't find one that spoke highly of chechens.
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