2007年VOA标准英语-British Anti-Terror Police Question 9 Men

By Tom Rivers
London
31 January 2007

British police have arrested nine men in pre-dawn raids in the city of Birmingham.  For VOA News, Tom Rivers reports from London the suspects are being questioned by anti-terrorist branch officers. 

Police officers stand outside a house in Birmingham, England where suspected terrorists were arrested, 31 Jan 2007

Dozens of police were involved in the arrest operation and at least a dozen premises¹ are being searched in the greater Birmingham area in central England.

On the record, authorities are not saying much about the alleged² plot.  But information from sources said to be close to the investigation³ has been leaked to many British media outlets⁴.

Those unnamed sources say the individuals were allegedly involved in a plan to kidnap and possibly murder a serving member of the British armed forces while that person was on home leave.

Britain's top law and order official, Home Secretary John Reid, told Sky News that few specifics would be released at this early stage of the operation.

"These is a major operation and investigation under way and I would ask everyone concerned, and the media and the press, while I fully⁵ recognize the interest in this, that everyone exercise a great degree of responsibility and constraint⁶ and make sure that we minimize speculation," he said.  "We minimize any irresponsible information in the public domain⁷ because above all we have to recognize that there is not only an operation and investigation, but there could well be future court proceeding⁸."

What is known is that counter-terrorism officers had been watching the men for months.

Security expert Paul Wilkinson from St. Andrews University says if there is evidence of a kidnapping plot, such a shift in tactics would further complicate⁹ the job of Britain's counter-terrorism officers.

"I think it is a reminder¹⁰ to us all that the level of threat is very high," he noted¹¹.  "It is also I think a reminder that we need to be constantly aware that the al-Qaida and its various affiliates¹² are constantly looking for new tactics, new vulnerabilities."

Under new laws, the suspects can be held for up to 28 days before being either charged or released. 

Last November, the head of Britain's domestic intelligence service warned that up to 30 terror plots were being worked on and that agents were monitoring about 1,600 individuals around the country. 

Meanwhile in Germany, a district court has issued arrest warrants for 13 people believed to be involved in the abduction of a German man of Lebanese descent, who says he was kidnapped by the CIA.  Prosecutors¹³ say the suspects listed in the arrest warrant could be so-called "cover identities" of CIA agents.  U.S. officials had no immediate¹⁴ comment on the report. 

German authorities say they believe the account of the man who says he was arrested in Macedonia in 2003, handed over to the CIA and flown to Afghanistan, where he was held until May of 2004.  The case has fueled debate across Europe about the secret transfer of terror suspects by the CIA.

1 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

7 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

8 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

9 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

10 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 affiliates   

附属企业( affiliate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She affiliates with an academic society. 她是某学术团体的成员。
• For example, these security affiliates participated in the floating of 19,000,000,000 of issues in 1927. 例如，这些证券发行机构在1927年的流通证券中，就提供了一百九十亿美元的证券。

13 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

14 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。