Venezuelan prosecutors sued "American spies"
The Attorney General of Venezuela said on the 14th that an American man who was recently arrested in the country on suspicion of espionage was filed on suspicion of conspiring to commit a terrorist act to destroy oil refineries and power facilities.
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said the man had three Venezuelan conspirators who were arrested last week near an oil refinery on the northern Caribbean coast of the country.
The attorney general's office said the man was named John Heath Matthew.
The Venezuelan government department said that some photos were found in several mobile phones obtained from Matthew during the arrest, including a bridge, some military installations, and oil refinery facilities. They were suspected to be the target of their planned destruction.
Saab also showed some photos to the national television station, which were said to be equipment found from the arrested persons, including grenade launchers, plastic explosives, satellite phones and a bag of US dollars. "These items may be used to harm the Venezuelan people."
Matthew was also charged with suspicion of opening up a drug smuggling route in Venezuela.
Since Matthew's arrest, the United States has not responded.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on the 11th that Venezuela had captured an "U.S. spy" who was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and "served in the base of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in Iraq."
A Venezuelan court sentenced two former US special forces to 20 years in prison in August.
The two were accused of training Venezuelan anti-government personnel and attempting to sneak into Venezuela.
(Guo Qian) [Xinhua News Agency Wei Feature]