美国如何成功的打击恐怖主义？

AS IT IS 2016-06-27 How Can US Successfully Fight Terrorism? 美国如何成功的打击恐怖主义？

This is the third article in a three-part VOA series on Islamist extremism in the United States.

In 2003, not long after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the New York City police department began spying on Muslims.

Officers in regular clothes visited Muslim businesses, student associations, charities and religious centers, called mosques¹. They believed a terrorist would be able to hide easily in those areas.

Then, the officers created a database about neighborhoods where people of 28 so-called “ancestries of interest” lived. The database included pictures, maps and information about the personal habits of Muslims in New York City.

When the public learned about the unit eight years later, many people objected. Some activists² said the unit violated Muslims’ civil rights. Objectors even filed two lawsuits³ against the unit, saying the police had discriminated⁴ against them.

In addition, the unit seemed not to work. Officers never used any of the information they gathered to identify someone who was likely to make an attack.

In 2014, shortly after he was elected mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio ordered the unit to be closed.

But not everyone believes surveillance of Muslims in the U.S. should stop.

After Islamic State (IS) terrorist group attacks in Paris last November, and the release of a video suggesting New York would be attacked next, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump⁵ suggested the city should restart the program.

This month, after a gunman who said he supported IS killed 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Trump again talked about surveilling mosques and Muslim communities.

Communities, not spying

But none of the experts VOA interviewed for this report believed police should watch Muslims without a reason. They said law enforcement officials should become involved only when they suspect a crime is going to be committed.

These experts believe Muslim communities can police themselves. In other words, they say strong communities and families can help stop other Muslims from making mistakes.

And, they say professional police surveillance, such as the unit in New York City, actually makes Muslim communities and families weaker because it creates fear and mistrust.

Faiza Patel works at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.

She told VOA that mosques have always welcomed strangers. Now, Patel said, guests and newcomers are often treated with suspicion. And many Muslims are nervous about being followed.

She said people have stopped using mosques as the center of the community. Instead, she said, “They will go in and they will fulfill⁶ their religious obligation, but then won’t hang around. They go home.”

Patel said that, as a result, the Muslim community is losing its ability to stop other Muslims from committing crimes or terrorist attacks.

Families

Seth Jones is a terrorism expert at the RAND Corporation, a research group. He adds that families are a critical part of stopping people from extremist thinking and violence.

For example, the wife of Omar Mateen – the killer⁷ in Orlando this month – knew what he was planning to do. She was reportedly with him as he looked for possible targets, including Disney World and a shopping mall. Mateen’s father also said he was worried about what his son might do.

But when the FBI investigated Mateen over the last three years, they found no clues he would walk into a nightclub and kill 49 people.

The FBI says Mateen’s case is typical. About half the time, a family member knows a relative is becoming radicalized but does not know what to do about it.

Anne Speckhard is a research psychologist. She is the director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism. She said people specially⁸ trained in fighting extremism and radicalization can help families and communities.

For example, parents might not want to call the police and report their child. But they might call a special number and ask for help.

“Why would you call the FBI if they knew you were going to set up a sting operation?” Speckhard asked. “But you might call a hotline if you know they were going to send over a psychologist or an imam to talk to your kid and say, 'You know what? You really got Islam wrong here.’”

Words in This Story

ancestry⁹ – n. a person’s ancestors; the people who were in your family in past times

commit – v. to do (something that is illegal or harmful)

fulfill – v. to do what is required by (something, such as a promise or a contract)

obligation – n. something that you must do because of a law, rule, promise, etc.

hang around – phrasal verb, informal to be or stay in a place for a period of time without doing much

typical – adj. normal for a person, thing, or group; average or usual

sting operation – n. a complicated and clever plan that is meant to deceive someone especially in order to catch criminals

hotline – n. a telephone service for the public to use to get help -- sometimes, but not always, in emergencies

psychologist – n. a scientist who specializes in the study and treatment of the mind and behavior; a specialist in psychology¹⁰

imam – n. a Muslim religious leader

1 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

4 discriminated   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的过去式和过去分词 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• His great size discriminated him from his followers. 他的宽广身材使他不同于他的部下。
• Should be a person that has second liver virus discriminated against? 一个患有乙肝病毒的人是不是就应该被人歧视？

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

7 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

8 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

9 ancestry   

n.祖先，家世

参考例句：

• Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。
• He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

10 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。