Mutiny in Georgia as gov’t accuses Russia

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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The mutiny at the Mukhrovani base followed an announcement by the Interior Ministry that it had uncovered a Russia-supported plot to overthrow the government and had arrested the organizers. But Moscow's envoy to NATO denied any involvement, saying Tbilisi was attempting to distract

The mutineers had plotted the assassination of President Mikhail Saakashvili, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili. "It's over. Most of the people have surrendered, including the commander of the battalion. A few people have escaped," Utiashvili told Agence France-Presse. "There was no violence whatsoever."

The defense minister said the mutiny was in response to the arrests over alleged coup the night before. But the Interior Ministry later backed off and said the coup plotters, backed by Russian troops, were intent mainly on disrupting NATO military exercises set to begin today in Georgia.

Nevertheless, an official in Saakashvili's office said that the intent of the mutineers seemed to be limited to disrupting the upcoming NATO exercises. There was no evidence, he said, that they planned a coup attempt. Neither is there any evidence of Russian involvement. Russian envoy Dmitri Rogozin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying the allegations of Russian involvement were "crazy."

Opposition leader and former Saakashvili ally, Georgy Khaindrava, said the reports of the planned coup were made up. "It's nothing but a tall tale, and we've heard so many of them already. Saakashvili could not make up anything smarter," The Associated Press quoted Khaindrava as saying.

Saakashvili has been the target of more than three weeks of street protests by opposition demonstrators demanding he resign. Tbilisi has accused Russians of supporting the opposition.