Incident Summary:

11/30/2000: Antonio Trevino and Francisco Rodriguez, two Spanish businessmen working on a Georgian-Spanish joint venture, were abducted on the Tbilisi highway outside of Tbilisi, Georgia. They were in the company of the Tbilisi police chief when they were stopped by four armed men. The assailants physically assaulted the police chief and threw him from the car, then kidnapped the two businessmen and their car. The car was found abandoned near Naduknari village. On December 8, 2001, the two men were released unharmed near the Chechnya border. No group has been identified in relation to the abduction and it is unknown if a ransom was paid.

GTD ID:
200011300004

When:
2000-11-30

Country:
Georgia

Region:
Central Asia

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Tbilisi

City:
Near Tbilisi

Location Details:
On the Tbilisi highway outside of Tbilisi

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Hostage Taking (Kidnapping)
Type of Attack (more) Unarmed Assault
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Police
Name of Entity Georgian police chief
Specific Description The Tbilisi police chief
Nationality of Target Georgia
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Civilians
Specific Description Antonio Trevino and Francisco Rodriguez, two Spanish businessmen working on a Georgian-Spanish joint venture
Nationality of Target Georgia
Additional Information
Hostages Yes
Number of Hostages 2
US Hostages 0
Days of Kidnapping 373
Outcome Successful Rescue
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Firearms Unknown Gun Type
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) No
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) Yes
Alternate Designation (more) Other Crime Type
Additional Information It is unclear whether the captives were voluntarily released or were rescued
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Gunmen No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 4
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 1 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 1
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
"Update 1 - Two Spanish businessmen kidnapped in Georgia," Reuters, November 30, 2000.
Tengiz Pachkoria, "Georgia keeps up efforts for Spanish businessmen release," ITAR-TASS News Agency, December 2, 2000.
"Kidnapped Spanish businessmen released in Georgia," Reuters, December 8, 2001.