11 accused in ransacking of Venezuela synagogue

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

11 accused in ransacking of Venezuela synagogue
AP
1 hr 6 mins ago

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan prosecutors have filed charges against eight police officers and three other people, accusing them of involvement in a January attack on Caracas' largest synagogue, prosecutors said Thursday.

Prosecutors said in a statement they've asked a court to approve charges including robbery, "acts of contempt against a religion," and concealing firearms.

Among the suspects is a police officer who worked as a bodyguard for a rabbi. Another suspect is one of two security guards on duty during the attack, who is suspected of aiding intruders by deactivating an alarm and an electric fence surrounding the building.

Attackers broke into the Tifaret Israel synagogue on Jan. 30 — shattering religious objects, spray-painting anti-Semitic slogans and stealing a computer database with the names and addresses of Jews in Venezuela.

Investigators believe the assailants planned to steal a large amount of cash they thought was inside. The vandalism, authorities say, could have been aimed at turning attention away from the true motive behind the crime.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090326/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_synagogue_attack

[aquart]

1. Yet they didn't attempt to steal from a cathedral.

[Judi Lynn]

2. They had a man inside. They may not have had anyone inside a cathedral. n/t

[razors edge]

3. Hoaxes don't work that way.

[EFerrari]

5. The biggest mosque in Venezuela was ransacked the other day.

I've yet to see that posted here.

ETA: link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090325/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_mosque_robbery_1

[Prometheus Bound]

4. Though this has been known for some time, one writer still uses this as an example of antisemitism

March 26, 2009
JEWISHJOURNAL.COM EXCLUSIVE: An Eyewitness Recounts the Day Venezuela Booted Israel’s Embassy

By Julie Drucker

...Against this backdrop, the local Jewish community has been struggling to understand the depth and breadth of this new anti-Semitic posture in a country that – until Chávez—had been nothing but welcoming. Temples had recently been subjected to violent anti-Semitic attacks, leaving ominous messages in their wake: “Damn Jews,” “Assassin Jews,” “Out of here, Jews.” Now, after the Embassy’s inauguration 60 years ago, there would be no Israeli embassy, leaving Jews feeling powerless and stranded.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/item/israel_expelled_20090326/

Original DU thread:
Graffiti left at the scene included the phrases "Damn the Jews," "Jews out of here" and "Israel assassins."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3716964

[EFerrari]

6. Wow. That's very ugly! n/t

[Prometheus Bound]

7. I don't know what else to call it but anti-Chavez propaganda.

What else could be the reason for writing blatant lies?