On Friday, January 21, 2024, four shopping centers in Batumi, Georgia’s second-largest city, were evacuated due to bomb threats. The police and the cynologists searched the premises for possible explosive devices, but no bombs were found. The incident caused panic and disruption in the city, which is a popular tourist destination on the Black Sea coast.
What happened?
According to local media outlet Interpress News, the evacuation orders were issued around 17:30 local time, after the police received anonymous calls about bombs planted in the shopping centers. The affected locations were Grand Mall, Metro City, Batumi Mall, and Plaza. The employees and the customers were asked to leave the buildings immediately and the entrances were sealed off with yellow tape. The police and the cynologists arrived at the scene and conducted thorough inspections of the facilities. No explosives were detected and the evacuation orders were lifted after several hours.
Who is behind the threats?
The source and the motive of the bomb threats are still unknown. However, some media reports suggest that the threats were related to some messages posted on Telegram, a messaging app that is widely used by extremists and terrorists. News Georgia, a local news website, reported that multiple anonymous Telegram accounts disseminated terrorist threats against Batumi ahead of the evacuations. Some of the threats targeted Muslims, while others were reportedly aimed at Georgia for “disliking Russia”. Georgia has tense relations with Russia, which occupies two of its regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, since the 2008 war. The police have not confirmed or denied any connection between the Telegram messages and the bomb threats.
How did the city react?
The bomb scare in Batumi caused fear and confusion among the residents and the visitors of the city. Many people expressed their concern and anger on social media, condemning the perpetrators and demanding more security measures. Some also criticized the authorities for their slow and inadequate response. The mayor of Batumi, Lasha Komakhidze, visited the evacuated shopping centers and assured the public that the situation was under control. He also thanked the police and the cynologists for their professional work and urged the people to remain calm and vigilant. He said that the investigation was ongoing and that the culprits would be identified and punished.
What are the implications?
The bomb scare in Batumi is a serious security challenge for Georgia, which is trying to boost its tourism industry and attract more foreign visitors. Batumi is one of the main tourist destinations in the country, offering a variety of attractions, such as beaches, casinos, hotels, and cultural events. The city hosted more than 2 million tourists in 2023, according to the official statistics. The bomb threats could damage the reputation and the economy of the city, as well as the country, if they are not prevented and resolved. The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness and the readiness of the Georgian security forces, which have faced several terrorist attacks and plots in the past.
In 2017, a group of militants from the North Caucasus attempted to cross the border from Turkey and launch an attack in Georgia, but they were intercepted and killed by the Georgian special forces. In 2018, a Georgian citizen was arrested for allegedly plotting a suicide bombing at a diplomatic mission in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The Georgian authorities have pledged to cooperate with their regional and international partners to combat terrorism and extremism and to ensure the safety and the stability of the country.
