MOSCOW. Aug 5 (Interfax-AVN) - President Vladimir Putin said he counts on the speedy expulsion from Georgia of seven Chechen terrorists captured on the Georgian border.
"I will measure the seriousness of the intentions of the Georgian authorities to resist terrorism by how fast the bandits who tried to break through to Russia and were ousted will be taken justice," Putin said, opening a Monday conference with key Cabinet members.
He said he regards the detention in Georgia of "some Russian bandits," whom Russian armed forces and task units had ousted, "as the first sign that the Georgian leadership is thinking of the need to combat intentional terrorism."
Putin thanked the heads of all respective agencies, in particular servicemen of the Defense Ministry, the border guards, and Federal Security Service officers and soldiers who "through concerned action, virtually liquidated a major gang of terrorists who had tried to break through to Russia from neighboring territory - Georgia." He expressed condolences to the families of the servicemen killed and all other victims. The government should promptly offer effective support to everyone affected, he said.
Putin said the Prosecutor General's office will send an expulsion request to Georgia.