The suspects are from the western Guria region near the Black Sea, home to many Muslims in the predominantly Christian former Soviet republic.

Georgian security services have announced the arrest of four men suspected of having ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

The deputy head of the security services, Levan Izoria, said Tuesday that the four were arrested after searches of their homes on Sunday turned up hand guns, grenades, audio and video discs and flags of ISIS. He said investigators were now working to establish the extent of their involvement with the extremist group operating in Syria and Iraq.

The suspects are from the western Guria region near the Black Sea, home to many Muslims in the predominantly Christian former Soviet republic.

Most previous arrests in Georgia for suspected IS ties and recruitment efforts have involved people from the northeastern Pankisi Gorge, the home of many ethnic Chechens.

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