MURDEROUS POLITICS

Prosecutors announced they have arrested all responsible in last month's attempted assassination of Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze. Prosecutors say Teimuraz Khachishvili, Shevardnadze's deputy security minister, was one of the conspirators. Khachisvili is close to Dzhaba Ioseliani, a longtime nemisis of Shevardnadze, and his main opponent in Georgia's November 5 presidential election until he pulled out of the race last week to protest what he called Shevardnadze's reign of terror. TIME's Sally Donnelly reports that Ioseliani is the leader of the Mkhedrioni (Horsemen), a paramilitary, nationalist group that finances much of its activity through extortion. Shevardnadze narrowly escaped death when a powerful bomb exploded in front of his home on August 29. Police arrested several of Ioseliani's top aides over the weekend on other charges. Donnelly cautions that others may still be arrested: "Khachishvili may be involved, but it does not hurt Shevardnadze that blame is focusing on someone connected to his main political opponent."