Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: Strani omicidi in Georgia

http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav052109a.shtml
Friday, May 22, 2009
EURASIA INSIGHT
GEORGIA: SUSPECTED MUTINY MASTERMIND KILLED IN SHOOTOUT
Giorgi Lomsadze 5/21/09
Georgian police have shot dead one of the accused masterminds of a military 
mutiny and badly wounded his two accomplices. The incident is sparking fresh 
controversy over a tank battalion rebellion against President Mikheil 
Saakashvili earlier in May.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that ex-military commander Gia 
Krialashvili died from wounds suffered during a shootout with police in the 
outskirts of the Georgian capital during the night of May 20. Two other 
suspects, ex-military commander Levan Amiridze and retired Special Forces 
Gen. Koba Otanadze, were hospitalized for wounds deemed not to be 
life-threatening. The trio had been in hiding since the failed revolt on May 
5. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Police reportedly 
intercepted the three riding in a minivan just outside of the capital; they 
claimed that the three men were en route to the breakaway region of South 
Ossetia, roughly an hour's drive from Tbilisi.
Police had earlier offered a 200,000-lari (just over $121, 580) reward for 
information leading to the capture of Otanadze, identified as the ringleader 
of the attempt to persuade the Mukhrovani tank battalion to help overthrow 
President Saakashvili.
The conspirators' supposed dash toward South Ossetia has revived debate over 
whether Russia was somehow involved in stoking the revolt. In video footage 
earlier broadcast on Georgian television, one of the co-conspirators, former 
Special Forces unit commander Gia Ghvaladze, told undercover agents that 
Russian troops in South Ossetia were ready to cross over into 
Georgian-controlled territory, join the rebels and invade Tbilisi to install 
a pro-Moscow government.
Many opponents of President Saakashvili were quick to dismiss the plot -- or 
at least its Russian dimension -- as chimerical, while Moscow called the 
accusations "delirious." Police investigators have not stated definitively 
whether they believe the incident was the work of a handful of disgruntled 
commanders, or part of a wider scheme. "Some detainees say and our 
observations show that the steps taken by the mutineers were synchronized 
with the Russian troop movements [in South Ossetia and Abkhazia]," Interior 
Ministry spokesperson Shota Utiashvili told EurasiaNet. "But we need more 
evidence before we make this connection."
In a May 11 interview with Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy, President 
Saakashvili back-pedaled on the Kremlin's link. "I've never said that we 
have precise information on this," Saakashvili told the radio station.
Some experts suggest that allegations of a Russian connection are providing 
a convenient excuse for the Saakashvili administration to strengthen its 
oversight of the military. A tough response against the Mukhrovani mutineers 
can send an important signal to other potential trouble-makers, said 
independent military analyst Irakli Sesiashvili.
"Many in the military are unhappy about losing the war . . . and they also 
watch political tensions in Tbilisi," Sesiashvili, a former military 
ombudsman, said. "Fearing further manifestations of disobedience in the 
army -- and the likelihood of this is high after the war, and given the 
political strife in the country -- the government is tightening the screws 
on the army."
Utiashvili confirmed that the conspirators made attempts to reach out to 
other military units, appealing to them to join the rebellion.
Sesiashvili believes that Saakashvili has bolstered his political position, 
both at home and abroad, through his decisive response to the uprising. 
"First off, he demonstrated to the Western partners that, unlike 
[ex-President Eduard] Shevardnadze, he has the situation under control. He 
is not easy to overthrow and remains a stable partner here."
In 2001, Shevardnadze also faced a mutiny at Mukhrovani, when a National 
Guard battalion took control of a State Security Ministry base. [For 
details, see the Eurasia Insight archive.] The then-president pardoned the 
mutineers, who included the now detained Otanadze and slain ex-officer 
Krialashvili.
By contrast, Saakashvili ordered dozens of tanks and an army brigade to 
Mukhrovani, and threatened to open fire on the mutineers if they did not 
surrender.
Sesiashvili believes that by employing such a large military force, 
Saakashvili also sent a message to his increasingly vocal domestic 
opponents. He clearly demonstrated to his domestic political enemies that 
"if push comes to shove, he has loyal troops that are ready to defend him," 
Sesiashvili said.
Editor's Note: Giorgi Lomsadze is a freelance reporter based in Tbilisi. 

 GEORGIA: SUSPECTED MUTINY MASTERMIND KILLED IN SHOOTOUT
Strani?
PP

 President Mikheil Saakashvili earlier in May.
cosa ci sia di strano lo sai solo tu... 


Come � stato strano il mutiny, non trovi?
Namib