Four men have been arrested on suspicion of having links with the Islamic State group, the Georgian State Security Service said on Tuesday.

Arrests were made on November 29 after counter-terrorist unit carried out search of eleven houses, Levan Izoria, the Deputy Head of the State Security Service said on December 1 without giving locations of either where arrests were made or houses searched.

The announcement appears to be a confirmation by the State Security Service of earlier reports by the Georgian media outlets.

Tbilisi City Court ordered pre-trial detention for the four men at a hearing, held behind the closed doors on Tuesday; the prosecution has classified the case as secrete.

Defense lawyers of the arrested men said that their clients deny charges and claim that arms were “planted” by the law enforcement officers.