VENEZUELA has identified the assailants captured in Saturday’s failed assassination attempt against President Nicolas Maduro, Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab said Monday.

“We have identified all the perpetrators ... and their close collaborators,” Saab told reporters at a press conference, adding “we also established where they stayed in the days leading up to the assassination.”

During an outdoor ceremony Saturday commemorating the 81st anniversary of Venezuela’s national guard, several drones flew close to the presidential stand as Maduro was giving a speech and exploded.

Two people operating one of the drones from inside a car “were caught in the act,” and authorities identified others who had assembled the explosives, he said.

Though Saab did not provide the total number of people in custody, officials had earlier said they arrested six suspects on the day of the incident.

“We have already discovered the first international connections to the perpetrators,” said Saab, without offering more details.

Venezuela’s government has blamed neighboring Colombia for the attempt and on Monday issued a statement saying “we hold Colombia responsible for any further aggression.”

Saab said his office has designated four prosecutors to investigate the case, which entails charges of treason, attempted murder, causing injury, financing terrorism and other crimes.

(Xinhua)