Tina Khidasheli: I never said terrorists are being trained in Georgia, if there is any threat, let investigators find it

“My task has been accomplished. If there is any threat to the country, let’s hope it will be identified. If not, we will all be grateful,” said Former Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli after being questioned before a magistrate judge at the Tbilisi City Court as part of an investigation launched by the State Security Service of Georgia.

According to Khidasheli, the questioning concerned a statement she had made about Iran.

“This process is now legal, and therefore the behavior is also legal. I am a private individual who has access only to publicly available information. Everyone has the internet, Google, and so on. It is natural that they would be interested, because a person may have information from another source, and they need to find out. There is no problem with asking questions — this is a normal process,” she said.

Khidasheli noted that her goal was to draw attention to a potential threat so that investigative bodies would examine the issue.

“I told them in court, and I can repeat it now, that my task has been accomplished. In normal, civilized countries, when someone blows the whistle about a possible threat, investigative bodies look into it. It seems they have now taken an interest. If there is any threat to the country, we hope they will find it. If not, we will all be grateful that it has been confirmed that there is no threat. Let’s hope they will now thoroughly study the issue and determine whether there is a problem or not,” she said.

When asked by journalists whether the summons was an attempt to intimidate her, Khidasheli replied that she sees no problem with being questioned as a witness.

Khidasheli also clarified that she never claimed terrorists were being trained in Georgia.

“The Iranian university in question has been sanctioned by several countries — including Canada, the United States and Germany — precisely in connection with terrorism and recruitment. That is a fact documented in official papers. As for the Georgian branch, which I mentioned in the program, I made it clear that it is not actually a university because it lacks accreditation. I said that, fortunately, it has not received accreditation. What exists in Georgia is some form of branch or structure that should be examined. I have never said that terrorists are being trained in Georgia. What I confirm is that the university itself has been sanctioned for such activities by at least three countries,” Khidasheli said.

Earlier, Khidasheli stated on the television channel TV Pirveli that a “so-called university, a school of terrorists,” was operating in Georgia.

The State Security Service of Georgia later issued a statement noting that several individuals had recently made public claims regarding the recruitment of personnel from other countries in Georgia, including allegations or suggestions related to terrorism.

The investigation is being conducted under Article 319 of the Criminal Code, which concerns assisting a foreign country, a foreign organization, or an organization under foreign control in hostile activities.