On February 15th of the current year, the State Security Service detained a citizen of Georgia as a result of operational, searching and investigative activities conducted in order to identify an initiator of a false notification about the presence of explosive device on board of Kutaisi-Barcelona flight.

The indicated individual made a phone call at the Head Office of air company Wizzair in Hungary by means of a Georgian cell operator belonging to other person notifying about the presence of an explosive device at a particular aircraft.

According to the received notification, a flight # W66417 Kutaisi-Barcelona was returned to Kutaisi International Airport, where the State Security Service, alongside the Ministry of Internal Affairs, promptly implemented all necessary and urgent special measures stipulated by the protocol. No explosive device or substance was found on the said flight.

The Counterterrorism Center of the State Security Service is carrying out a criminal investigation into the fact of false notification on terrorism under Article 331 of the Criminal Code, which envisages imprisonment for a term of 3 to 6 or 6 to 9 years.

Furthermore, the State Security Service continues active investigations into the facts of various false reports. At this stage, it has been established that the most of the reports had been made from foreign countries. As a result of operational and covert activities conducted within the framework of the investigation, specific individuals and groups have been identified both in and outside the country.

As for false reports, the State Security Service has taken all respective measures to identify threats and minimize risks.

Finally, we would like to emphasize that the response of the State Security Service to such facts will be very strict in accordance with the law.

(EN)