2006年VOA标准英语-Indian Prime Minister Warns of Possible Terror

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
05 September 2006

 
Manmohan Singh  
  
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has warned of more terror attacks in the country, possibly targeting economic, religious and nuclear sites. The Indian leader is calling on regional governments to improve security to meet the challenge.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's issued the grim warning Tuesday to the heads of Indian states and top federal law enforcement officials at a security conference in New Delhi.

Mr. Singh says India's intelligence agencies have warned that terrorists could hit economic and religious targets as well as nuclear installations. He says suicide attacks are possible.

School children walk past the site of the train explosion in Mumbai (file photo)  
  
The prime minister's warning comes two months after bombs on commuter¹ trains in the financial hub of Mumbai killed more than 180 people. The capital New Delhi and the Hindu holy city of Varanasi have also suffered bomb attacks in the past year. India has blamed all these attacks on Islamic militants² with links in Pakistan.

Mr. Singh says the terror threats come from increasing activities of what he called "externally-inspired and directed terrorist outfits³".

"Reports also suggest that the terrorist modules⁴ and sleeper⁵ cells exist in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat we face. These are serious matters," he said.

The prime minister also called Tuesday for firm handling of rising violence in several eastern and southern states where Maoist rebels have stepped-up attacks in recent years. Mr. Singh says the left-wing extremists are active in the "most neglected areas of the country".

Mr. Singh said the security situation had improved in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the center of a violent 17-year long Islamic insurgency⁶. But he said "we should remain on our guard" because anti-India elements are still active in the region.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India, which accuses its neighbor of sheltering Islamic militants responsible for violent attacks in the Indian-controlled sector⁷.

Prime Minister Singh urged state officials to do more to improve security, saying economic development is impossible without effective law and order.

A police officer stands guard outside the Houses of Parliament in London  
  
"Our understanding, however, is that the states are not doing enough even regarding the filling up of existing vacancies⁸ in the police and other law and order agencies, or improving the quality of the state's special branches or toning up law and order administration," he said.

Tuesday's security conference was aimed at improving coordination⁹ between New Delhi and India's states to tackle terrorism.
 
India has been on heightened security alert since the July bombings in Mumbai. It also stepped-up security at airports after British police last month said they foiled a plot to bomb trans-Atlantic flights.

1 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

4 modules   

n.模块( module的名词复数 )；单元；（宇宙飞船上各个独立的）舱；组件

参考例句：

• The course consists of ten core modules and five optional modules. 这门课程包括十个必修单元和五个选修单元。
• Our English course is divided into modules on poetry, drama, and novels. 我们的英语课分为诗歌、戏剧和小说等单元。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

6 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

7 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

8 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。