Georgian citizen Malkhaz Paksashvili, the leader of one of the groups of the Islamic State terrorist organization, was detained as a result of a special operation carried out by the counter-terrorism center of the State Security Service of Georgia based on a court order.

Georgian law enforcers previously established that Paksashvili left for Syria in 2013 and joined a terrorist organization. "In 2013-2015, he was in the ranks of the 'military emirs' group of the brothers Caesar and Tsiskara Tokhosashvili and took an active part in the hostilities and attacks carried out by this terrorist organization. The detainee had close ties with the high-level commanders of the Islamic State and held the position of 'Naib' in one of the groups of this terrorist organization," the report said.

The case is being investigated under Article 328 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for membership in a terrorist organization of a foreign state and assistance in terrorist activities. The crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 17 years.