Georgia Kidnappers Cited in Assassination Attempt

President Eduard A. Shevardnadze said Friday that gunmen holding four U.N. military observers hostage in the former Soviet republic were also behind a recent assassination attempt against him.

The heavily armed gunmen seized the U.N. representatives, their Georgian driver and five civilians on Thursday after shelling the U.N. headquarters in the western Georgian town of Zugdidi. Two women and a child were released Friday.

The gunmen threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless the government frees seven people arrested in connection with the Feb. 9 assassination attempt against Shevardnadze.

The seven suspects are supporters of former President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was ousted in 1992 and died about two years later. The kidnappers also support Gamsakhurdia’s ideals.

The kidnappers deny that any Gamsakhurdia supporters were involved in the attack on Shevardnadze.

The suspects and kidnappers “must understand that their action against Georgia won’t bring them any good. They must understand that they can’t turn back history,” Shevardnadze said.

The captured U.N. observers are from Uruguay, Sweden and the Czech Republic. The Uruguayan army said in a statement that its officers were being treated well and were in good condition. It said military officials spoke with one of the officers by telephone.