Georgia arrests four men with suspected Islamic State links

TBILISI (Reuters) - Police in ex-Soviet Georgia arrested four people on suspicion of having links with the Islamic State group, the Georgian State Security Service deputy head said on Tuesday. Levan Izoria told reporters the arrests were made on Sunday after a counter-terrorist unit carried out a search of 11 houses. "Information has been obtained identifying several individuals who support Islamic State ideology," Izoria said without specifying where the arrests were made or where the houses were searched. Georgian media reported the arrests were made in a village in western Georgia. Izoria said hand grenades, pistols, bullets and explosive devices as well as mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, computers, internet modems and various literature and Islamic State flags were found in houses of the four suspects. He said that all four arrested men had been charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. "Investigative measures are ongoing to substantiate that the arrested persons have links with the Islamic State and that they were providing assistance in terrorism activities," Izoria said. (Reporting by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Christian Lowe)