Police in Venezuela have arrested 11 suspects, including seven police officers, for ransacking and vandalizing a synagogue in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, said officials on Monday.
Reports suggested that those arrested included a security guard working at the synagogue and a city police officer had worked as a bodyguard for a local rabbi until December.
A group of some 15 people had broken a synagogue in downtown Caracas on Jan. 30, destroying several religious objects and spray-painting the walls of the synagogue with several anti-Semitic messages, before leaving.
The attacks came after Venezuela broke diplomatic ties with Israel last month over its military offensive in Gaza Strip. Israel responded by expelling Venezuelan diplomats and declaring them "persona non grata in Israel".
Soon after the attack on the synagogue, Venezuelan officials had ruled out any links between the synagogue attack and the diplomatic row with Israel. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had condemned the attack and had pledged to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
by RTTNews Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com