Just last month, the FATF, a Paris-based global money-laundering and terrorism-financing watchdog, finally removed Pakistan from its grey list after four years, following which the UK government removed the nation from its list of "High Risk Third Countries". But Pakistan's close ties to terrorism in various forms raises questions on the decision. While PAK celebrated the news, one shocking incident from across the border has brought further shame to the nation.
The Georgian state security service foiled an assassination plot to kill an Israeli citizen, which was led by Pakistani assassins. According to reports, a team of guns for hire with links to the Al-Qaeda arrived in Tbilisi to recce the target - a businessman who also worked to advance Israel-Georgia relations identified as Itzik Moshe.
A clever plot fails
The Georgian authorities revealed that a Pakistani citizen was given necessary instructions and information about the target, who then arrived in Georgia through a third country to avoid detection. He was provided with a rented apartment and all the help required to carry out the assassination.
The PAK assassin tracked the target's movements and was constantly updating his client, an Iranian national living abroad. The weapons were provided to the assassin by a group of persons with dual Iranian-Georgian citizenship, who were also involved in the conspiracy. Though no in-person meetings took place, the weapons were traded using hideouts.
The authorities seized firearms, ammunition and phones, which had incriminating evidence, used by the conspirators.
The embassy of Israel in Georgia expressed its gratitude to Georgia's state security service for their "professional and determined" efforts to safeguard the Israeli citizens after the security service prevented the assassination of an Israeli citizen in the country.
"We are witnessing how Iran continues in its malign activities and its terror acts attempts not only in the Middle East, but all over the world, now here in peaceful Georgia", the statement read.
