[2] Days later, the Venezuelan foreign ministry called Israel's actions "state terrorism" and announced the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and some of the embassy staff.

[3] Protests occurred in Caracas with demonstrators throwing shoes at the Israeli Embassy while some sprayed graffiti on the facility.

[5] Security guards were tied up and gagged and the gang destroyed offices and the repository where the holy books were stored; this happened during the Jewish Shabbat.

[8] In February 2009 the Venezuelan authorities arrested 11 individuals in connection with the attack, including eight members of various police forces.

[11] According to Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami, anti-semitic vandalism had merely been a tactic, "First, to weaken the investigation, and second, to direct the blame toward the national government.