[Presenter] Mass arrests of Chechens have started in Tbilisi. Since this morning, ethnic Chechens are being taken to district police departments. At 0730 [0330 gmt] [leader of the Chechen Diaspora in Georgia] Khizri Aldamov's family were apprehended at their home. Aldamov's family were taken to the Isani-Samgori police department, but later Khizri Aldamov himself was rushed to hospital No 9 with a heart attack. After that the members of the family of the president of the Chechen Diaspora were freed. [Passage omitted: family interviewed]

Our correspondent Tiko Peikrishvili is speaking live form hospital No 9. Tiko, in what condition is Aldamov at the moment and what else is known - what is the Chechens' detention this morning linked to?

[Correspondent] Khizri Aldamov' s condition is relatively stable. As you know, he was rushed here with an acute attack of ischemic heart disease. This happened after he was taken together with the members of his family to the Isani-Samgori police department. It should be noted that apart from Khizri Aldamov, other Chechens living in Tbilisi are also held at police departments in almost all the districts of Tbilisi. They are being taken to police departments together with their families. We get phone calls here from different police offices. [Voice indistinct] even children - 16-year-olds - are being detained and their fingerprints and photos are being taken. As is known, no policeman had a warrant to enter any of the homes. It is not known either why such mass arrests of Chechens are taking place and why these people are taken to police departments. A few minutes ago - an hour ago, a Chechen was brought to a police department in Vazha Pshavela [Avenue].

He lives in Georgia as a refugee and is a student at the drama institute. He was brought to the police department together with members of his family. We were not allowed into the police office. His lawyer, Sevdia Ugrekhelidze, was, so to say, forced out of the police office, and was not allowed to attend the questioning. [Passage omitted: lawyer interviewed]

The mood among the Chechens here is quite negative. They do not know why the mass arrests of Chechens took place this morning, and, specifically, what purpose the police are pursuing, and why they are being photographed [voice indistinct]. The point is that it is not only Chechen refugees who are being arrested but also Chechens who are Georgian citizens. Khizri Aldamov's family and several other families who were detained by the Isani-Samgori police this morning are Georgian citizens of Chechen nationality. National enmity is being mentioned and theories are being put forward.

NGO representatives have visited the hospital. They do not have any information either on what grounds the police are acting when they break into homes illegally - without any documentation or sanction - and take Chechens from their home to police departments and question them. It is not yet known what information the police want to get from them and what these mass arrests are aimed at.

[Presenter] Tiko, has any senior police representative already commented?

[Correspondent] None of the policemen, let alone senior police officers, has made any comment. Even the lawyers are not being told why their defendants have been detained. [Passage omitted: more details]

Source: Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi, in Georgian 0800 gmt 7 Dec 02