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Today in History: Failed Grenade Attack Targets Bush, Saakashvili

5/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On 10 May 2005 in Tbilisi, Georgian citizen Vladimir Arutyunian threw a hand grenade in a failed assassination attempt at a motorcade carrying U.S. President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The device failed to explode, sparing both leaders. Arutyunian was later captured, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment.

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Story summary

On 10 May 2005 in Tbilisi, Georgian citizen Vladimir Arutyunian threw a hand grenade in a failed assassination attempt at a motorcade carrying U.S. President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The device failed to explode, sparing both leaders. Arutyunian was later captured, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment.