2007年VOA标准英语-Basque Group Threatens More Terror Attacks

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
10 January 2007

The Basque separatist group ETA is warning it may launch new terrorist attacks, following its December 30 bombing at a Madrid airport that killed two people. From Paris, Lisa Bryant reports the blast has shattered Spanish hopes of eradicating¹ Europe's last major terrorist group.

Female resident walks in front of graffiti from the Basque separatist group ETA in Alsasua, Spain, 9 Jan 2007

A statement published in a Basque newspaper and attributed to ETA suggests the group may strike again - in retaliation² for what it calls government "attacks" in Spain's wealthy, northern Basque region.

But Tuesday, ETA had said it wanted to continue the peace process - while also taking responsibility for a Madrid airport blast that killed two people and injured roughly two dozen others. The bombing ended a nine-month-old "permanent" ceasefire declared by the separatist group last March. Experts suggest ETA was frustrated³ by the lack of advances in the peace process.

The United States and the European Union consider ETA a terrorist group. It is blamed for at least 800 deaths in its nearly four-decade campaign for an independent Basque country in northern Spain and part of southwestern France.

A spokesman for the group's political wing refused to comment on warnings ETA may launch further strikes. But Basque journalist and ETA expert Gorka Landaburu denounced the group's latest published statement.

Speaking by telephone from the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastian, Landaburu described ETA as completely irresponsible and unrealistic for both warning of future strikes and vowing⁴ to continue with the peace process.

Landaburu, a victim of an ETA attack, says the Madrid bombings surprised everyone, including Spain's prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Landaburu says Mr. Zapatero had invested a lot in a peace process launched with the separatists last year. It is too early to say whether it will cost him politically, Landaburu says, but the prime minister has taken a tough hit which has cost him points in recent polls. The Spanish government has declared the peace process is over. But Landaburu, for one, has his doubts.

Spain is used to terrorism, he says, and there are moments of hope and despair. But the country must continue with the process.

1 eradicating   

摧毁，完全根除( eradicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective: To study the acute and chronic toxicity of Ten-flavor-acne eradicating-capsule. 目的：探讨复方中药合剂十味平痤胶囊的急性及慢性毒性。
• We are on the verge of eradicating polio in the world. 我们已在世界消除小儿？痹症的边缘了。

2 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。