A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said Alexander Ochorishvili, an aide to warlord Dzhaba Ioseliani, had been arrested. A search of Ochorishvili's office in the parliament building turned up several thousand rounds of ammunition, machine guns and pistols, and about $16,000, officials said. Police also confiscated 500 codeine tablets and 150 ampules of norfin, a morphine-like substance.
Ioseliani has denied involvement in the bombing, which injured several people and destroyed several cars outside Shevardnadze's offices in the parliament building Tuesday. Shevardnadze escaped with cuts and scratches.
A member of parliament, Ioseliani actually wields far greater power as head of the Mkhedrioni paramilitary group.
He helped bring Shevardnadze, the former Soviet foreign minister, to power in Georgia in 1992, but Shevardnadze has since been trying to reduce his influence. In recent months, Shevardnadze ordered the Mkhedrioni disarmed.
Shevardnadze on Thursday looked fit and rested as he played host to Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller on an official visit. With dabs of green antiseptic on his forehead, Shevardnadze signed a series of energy and economic agreements with Ciller. "It is fortunate that I am coming to Georgia at this time, after my brother, Eduard Shevardnadze, survived this terrible attack," Ciller told reporters on her arrival.
Trade between the two countries has mushroomed since Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The two leaders met earlier this month to open a second border crossing, and have agreed on projects for transporting gas, producing hydroelectric power and improving rail links.
Talks were dominated, however, by the route of a pipeline that would export billions of dollars of oil from neighboring Azerbaijan and Central Asia.
Turkey, intent on beefing up its regional clout, and with an eye to millions of dollars in transit fees, is battling to have the pipeline routed through its own territory via Georgia.
But the Turks face tough competition from Russia, which wants the oil flowing through its own territory.
"Of course, Georgia is extremely important [for the Turkish route] -- we have an understanding with Georgia," Ciller said Thursday.
To back its hand, Turkey has already restricted heavy tanker traffic through the Bosporus, claiming environmental worries. With peak production from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to reach 60 million tons a year, Russia's plans to ship crude from its Black Sea port of Novorossiisk would be unworkable.
But all players are looking over their shoulders at Russia.
Shevardnadze told reporters: "Russia wants the oil pipeline to go through its territory, and it's strategically very important. But neither Georgia, nor Azerbaijan, nor Turkey wants a confrontation with Russia."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.