wazaaap
05-05-2009, 11:25 AM
Georgian troops 'launch mutiny'
A mutiny has broken out at a military base near the capital of Georgia, the government says.
It came after officials said they had uncovered a coup plot - linked to Russia and aimed at assassinating President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Russia described the charge as "delirium", a news agency said.
Georgia's defence minister said the rebels meant to disrupt Nato military exercises due to start in Georgia on Wednesday.
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has condemned Nato for planning military exercises in a country "where there was just a war".
Georgia and Russia have poisonous relations, and fought a war over Georgia's breakaway territory of South Ossetia last August.
'Plotter at large'
The mutiny at the Mukhrovani base erupted on Tuesday morning.
The soldiers were aiming at "disrupting Nato exercises and overturning the authorities militarily", David Sikharulidze told Georgian television.
"The rebellion continues. Law enforcement agents are on the scene," Mr Sikharulidze said.
The mutiny broke out as the government announced it had disrupted a coup plot.
The interior ministry told the BBC that the plotters wanted to destabilise Georgia and assassinate President Mikhail Saakashvili.
A spokesman said there had been one arrest, but that the leader of the plot - a former chief of special forces - was still at large.
The spokesman said the government had been aware of the plot for two months.
The rebellion appeared to be "co-ordinated with Russia", the interior ministry said.
But Russia's Itar-Tass news agency cited a source in Russia's security services describing the coup plot allegations as the "delirium and agony of the Saakashvili regime".
A mutiny has broken out at a military base near the capital of Georgia, the government says.
It came after officials said they had uncovered a coup plot - linked to Russia and aimed at assassinating President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Russia described the charge as "delirium", a news agency said.
Georgia's defence minister said the rebels meant to disrupt Nato military exercises due to start in Georgia on Wednesday.
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has condemned Nato for planning military exercises in a country "where there was just a war".
Georgia and Russia have poisonous relations, and fought a war over Georgia's breakaway territory of South Ossetia last August.
'Plotter at large'
The mutiny at the Mukhrovani base erupted on Tuesday morning.
The soldiers were aiming at "disrupting Nato exercises and overturning the authorities militarily", David Sikharulidze told Georgian television.
"The rebellion continues. Law enforcement agents are on the scene," Mr Sikharulidze said.
The mutiny broke out as the government announced it had disrupted a coup plot.
The interior ministry told the BBC that the plotters wanted to destabilise Georgia and assassinate President Mikhail Saakashvili.
A spokesman said there had been one arrest, but that the leader of the plot - a former chief of special forces - was still at large.
The spokesman said the government had been aware of the plot for two months.
The rebellion appeared to be "co-ordinated with Russia", the interior ministry said.
But Russia's Itar-Tass news agency cited a source in Russia's security services describing the coup plot allegations as the "delirium and agony of the Saakashvili regime".