Suicide Bombings in Iraq Kill at Least 170 at Shi'ite Muslim

Suicide Bombings in Iraq Kill at Least 170 at Shi'ite Muslim Shrines¹

 

Laurie Kassman

 

In Iraq, a series of explosions and suicide bombings in Baghdad and Karbala turned one of the holiest days in Shiite Islam into a day of bloodshed. The Iraqi Governing Council declared three days of national mourning and postponed² the signing of an interim³ constitution for the transition to general elections. Shi'ite and Sunni leaders together condemned⁵ the attacks they say were aimed at stirring up civil war.

 

Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani complains that U.S. coalition⁶ forces have not secured Iraq's borders well enough to stop the infiltration⁷ of extremists. But he appeals for calm and unity⁸ in the aftermath of the bloodshed.

 

The top U.S. administrator⁹ in Iraq, Paul Bremer, has issued a statement condemning¹⁰ the attacks Tuesday. And he warns that extremists will not succeed in stopping what he describes as Iraq's march toward democracy.

 

Shi'ite Governing Council member Abdul Aziz Hakim, who leads the Supreme¹¹ Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, also has condemned the attacks.

 

He blames al-Qaida terrorists and Saddam Hussein loyalists for the bombings and other recent attacks he says are trying to provoke civil war in Iraq. He urged calm and patience.

 

He spoke¹² through a translator, "We demanded and demand the Iraqi people to tolerate and to be patient and try to restrain themselves in order not to allow the objective of these evils to be achieved, these evils who are the enemies of the Iraqi people, in order to avoid any sectarian problems. However, it is important to follow these suspected people and to recognize them and take the right legal measures against them."

 

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

 

Last month, U.S. official say they intercepted¹⁴ a message from one operative urging attacks to stir up civil war between Shi'ite and Sunni political forces.

Within hours of the attacks, council member Adnan Pachachi, a Sunni Muslim, also called for unity.

 

"And, it is important that our Iraqi people should be calm, should be patient and should continue their national unity and to make sure that the enemies of Iraq will not have the opportunity to inflict¹⁵ harm on our people."

 

A top U.S. military commander says Iraqi police have apprehended¹⁶ one suspect in Baghdad and six others in Karbala.

 

U.S. Brigadier General Mark Kimmit says the explosions were caused by a combination of suicide bombs, remote-controlled explosives and mortar¹⁷ fire. He says attacks were well coordinated¹⁸.

 

"This was not a pick up team, not an organization that just started. This clearly shows signs of a well coordinated organization with some level of sophistication."

 

The multiple explosions near Shi'ite shrines in Baghdad and Karbala, some 80 kilometers to the south, ripped through crowds of pilgrims from Iraq, Iran and other countries as they gathered to observe Ashura, one of the most solemn days of the Shi'ite Muslim year.

 

It was the first time the Shi'ite community was marking the holiday in public. For the past three decades Saddam Hussein had banned any public displays of Shi'ite worship.

 

注释：

Baghdad [`bA^dAd] n. 巴格达（伊拉克首都）

Karbala [`kB:bElE] 卡尔巴拉（伊拉克中部城市）（伊斯兰教什叶派的圣地）

holy [5hEuli] adj. 神圣的，圣洁的

bloodshed [5blQdFed] n. 流血

Iraqi Governing Council  伊拉克管理委员会

interim [5intErim] adj. 临时的

stir up  激起，鼓动，煽动

Shi'ite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani  什叶派教长希斯塔尼，是伊拉克的什叶派精神领袖

Ayatollah （伊斯兰）阿亚图拉，什叶派神职人员的最高称号

infiltration [7infil5treiFEn] n. 渗透

extremist [iks5tri:mist] n. 极端主义者，过激分子

aftermath [5B:ftEmAW] n. 结果，后果

condemn⁴ [kEn5dem] vt. 谴责

al-Qaida  基地组织

Saddam Hussein  萨达姆•侯塞因，伊拉克前总统

loyalist [5lCiElist] n. 忠诚的人

sectarian [sek5tZEriEn] adj. 宗派的

intercept¹³ [7intE5sept] vt. 中途阻止, 截取

inflict [in5flikt] v. 造成

Brigadier [7bri^E5diE] n. 陆军（空军、海军陆战队）准将

mortar [5mC:tE] n. 迫击炮

sophistication [sE9fIstI5keIFEn] n. 复杂性

1 shrines   

圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。
• Their palaces and their shrines are tombs. 它们的宫殿和神殿成了墓穴。

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

4 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 infiltration   

n.渗透；下渗；渗滤；入渗

参考例句：

• The police tried to prevent infiltration by drug traffickers. 警方尽力阻止毒品走私分子的潜入。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A loss in volume will occur if infiltration takes place. 如果发生了渗润作用，水量就会减少。 来自辞典例句

8 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

10 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

14 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。

15 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

16 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

17 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

18 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法