非洲—非洲恐怖主义

African Terrorism

非洲恐怖主义

 

On July 21, London suffered its second round of terror attacks this year, with the discovery of four bombs that failed to explode in the British capital's transit¹ system. Unlike the deadly July 7 attack, whose bombers² were mainly British-born men of Pakistani ancestry³, some of those arrested in connection with the subsequent plot were born in the Horn of Africa.

 

Ethiopian-born Hussain Osman, who was arrested in Rome, told investigators⁴ that the second bombing was designed to frighten, but not kill, Londoners. Two other suspects, Yassin Hassan Omar and Ibrahim Muktar Said, were born in Somalia and Eritrea, respectively.

 

Young Muslims Make Easy Recruits

 

Evan Kohlmann, the author of the book: Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe spent time in London studying radical⁵ Muslim communities. He says the isolation⁶ and frustrations⁸ of some young Muslims make them easy recruits for extremist organizations.

 

Evan Kohlmann: Many of them feel like they've been rejected by mainstream⁹ British society and some of them harbor resentment¹⁰ because of it. Others feel that mainstream British society does not reflect their traditional values. And in searching for their own identity, they become fundamentalists of many types, social, cultural, political and religious.

 

International authorities have been concerned about the African continent as a training ground for terrorists, particularly since the Taliban were ousted¹¹ from Afghanistan. The 1998 al-Qaida attacks against the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and the 2002 bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya showed the links between Africa and international terror. And several of those arrested in connection with the 2004 Madrid train bombings were of Moroccan origin.

 

The US has organized the Pan Sahel Initiative, begun in 2003, which sent American troops to train soldiers in Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger. The Trans-Saharan Counter-Terrorism Initiative, launched in June, dispatched US troops to train soldiers in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal and Nigeria to combat terrorism.

 

Some African Countries Harbor al Qaida

 

Martha Crenshaw, a professor of government at Wesleyan University and an authority on terrorism, says it is not surprising that some African countries could be used as launching grounds for terror.

 

Martha Crenshaw: These are areas in which the states are extremely weak, they often don't like to be called 'failed states,' but they're certainly states in which there are large, 'lawless zones,' as we call them, where the authority of the central government is non-existent, and therefore where training, recruitment, conspiratorial¹² plotting can all take place. Furthermore, these are areas in which there has been conflict and fighting.

 

Somalia, which lacks a functioning government, has long been cited as a possible training ground for terrorists. Matt Bryden directs the International Crisis Group's Horn of Africa Project. His organization recently released a report on the possible links between al-Qaida and Somalia.

 

Matt Bryden: So far, the al-Qaida presence in Somalia seems to be limited to those who were responsible for the Kenyan attacks, most of whom are fugitives¹⁴, and they are under suspicion, surveillance, and pressure from counter-terrorism efforts that [so] they don't seem to be able to organize a network effectively, but we're talking about less than a half dozen people probably.

 

Better Government in Some African Countries May Stem Terror

 

Somalia's transitional government is now attempting to create local administrations throughout the country. It is Somalia's first broad-based government since 1991, when warlords overthrew¹⁵ dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. According to Matt Bryden, the lack of a stable government in Somalia contributes to the possibility of it becoming a terrorist haven¹⁶.

 

Matt Bryden: We argue the solution has got to be the return of a legitimate¹⁷ and stable government in Somalia. What the problem at the moment is that we have a government that is divided.

 

Unstable¹⁸ countries with terrorist networks cause upheaval¹⁹ both at home and abroad, according to terrorist expert Martha Crenshaw. She says they create a climate of desperation and conflict, particularly in immigrant communities.

 

Martha Crenshaw: You have a large number of refugees and diasporas, people fleeing outside the country, and taking with them that legacy²⁰ of conflict. And we know there are Muslim populations in these areas in which al-Qaida did try to recruit and where people who were involved in conflicts in these countries did go to Afghanistan in the early days.

 

Terrorists in Britain

 

Martha Crenshaw says the London bombings underscore the isolation and frustration⁷ in some immigrant communities that could lead to involvement in terrorism. She says authorities should be more aware of the attraction of radical ideologies²¹ to disillusioned²³ youth.

 

Martha Crenshaw: We have young people, and we're dealing²⁴ with young men, by and large, they are susceptible²⁵ to the appeals of an extremist ideology²⁶ that they perhaps are searching for an identity, a larger cause within which to subsume themselves.

 

Most analysts²⁷ agree that the wide-ranging campaign against terrorism both on the African continent and elsewhere will continue. They say Africa's unstable governments, poverty and proximity²⁸ to Europe and the Middle East make it a likely outpost for terrorist activity. And the role that Africa plays, whether through counter-terror initiatives or African communities abroad, will be significant.

 

For focus, I’m Sarah Williams.

 

注释：

ancestry [5Ansistri] n. 家族，血统

Somalia [sEu5mB:liE] n. 索马里

Eritrea [eri5triE] n. 厄立特里亚

harbor [5hB:bE] vt. 心怀，怀有

resentment [ri5zentmEnt] n. 怨恨，愤恨

Tanzania [7tAnzE5ni:E] n. 坦桑尼亚（东非国家）

Mauritania [7mRri5teiniE] n. 毛里塔尼亚

Niger [5naidVE] n. 尼日尔（非洲中西部国家）

Algeria [Al5dViEriE] n. 阿尔及利亚（北非国家）

Tunisia [tju:5niziE] n. 突尼斯

Senegal [7seni5^C:l] n. 塞内加尔（西非国家）

conspiratorial [kEn7spirE5tC:riEl] adj. 阴谋的，阴谋者的

fugitive¹³ [5fju:dVitiv] n. 逃亡者，亡命者

surveillance [sE:5veilEns] n. 监视，监督

upheaval [Qp5hi:v(E)l] n. 动乱；剧变

diaspora [dai5AspErE] n. 流散在外的犹太人，海外犹太人

disillusion²² [7disi5lu:VEn] v. 醒悟

outpost [5autpEust] n. 前哨

1 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

2 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

6 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

7 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

8 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

9 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

10 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

11 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

12 conspiratorial   

adj.阴谋的，阴谋者的

参考例句：

• She handed the note to me with a conspiratorial air. 她鬼鬼祟祟地把字条交给了我。 来自辞典例句
• It was enough to win a gap-toothed, conspiratorial grin. 这赢得对方咧嘴一笑。 来自互联网

13 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

14 fugitives   

n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分

15 overthrew   

overthrow的过去式

参考例句：

• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
• They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。

16 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

17 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

18 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

19 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

20 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

21 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句

22 disillusion   

vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭

参考例句：

• Do not say anything to disillusion them.别说什么叫他们泄气的话。
• I'd hate to be the one to disillusion him.我不愿意成为那个让他幻想破灭的人。

23 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

24 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

25 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

26 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

27 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

28 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。