VOA标准英语2009年-Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers Confirm Leader's

Sri Lankan officials say the new leader of the vanquished¹ Tamil Tiger rebels is in their custody² following his arrest in an undisclosed South East Asian country. Details of the rebel leader's arrest are, so far, unclear. But it is a blow to efforts by the rebels to regroup and revive their separatist struggle for an independent Tamil homeland.
　
Selvarasa Pathmanathan (Undated file photo)

Sri Lankan intelligence officials Friday interrogated³ Selvarasa Pathmanathan - the man who took command of the Tamil Tigers after the Sri Lankan military routed the guerrillas and eliminated their top leadership in May this year.

Pathmanathan has been operating from overseas for many years, and is believed to have run the weapons procurement⁴, smuggling⁵ and fundraising operations of the Tamil rebels.

Sri Lankan authorities had stepped up diplomatic efforts for his arrest since he vowed⁶ to revive the rebel movement following the death of the powerful Tamil Tiger leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Pathmanathan had announced that the group would put down its weapons and try democratic, non-violent methods to achieve the goal of a separate homeland for the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's military spokesman, Udaya Nanayakkara, calls him a "top terrorist." He says the arrest is significant and could help them nab other operatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the LTTE.

"We have to keep the eyes and ears open for security of Sri Lanka," he said. "That is the main reason for us to go behind these people who are highly involved in terrorist activities. There can be some more LTTE hardcore cadres operating outside Sri Lanka which can emerge as leaders, but then they will never be able to reorganize themselves in Sri Lanka again."

Pathmanathan is believed to have operated from bases in Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.

There are conflicting reports about where Pathmanathan was arrested. Sri Lankan authorities have refused to comment, citing diplomatic norms. The rebels have said in a statement he was arrested on Wednesday in Malaysia, but the Malaysian police chief said he had no knowledge of such an arrest. The Thai government has denied reports that he was arrested in Bangkok.

He was wanted on gun running charges, and by the Indian government in connection with the assassination⁷ of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a Tamil suicide bomber⁸, in 1991.

Political analysts⁹ say Pathmanathan's capture will deal a blow to efforts by remnants of the Tamil Tigers to revive their quarter century long separatist struggle, which ended following a crushing defeat by the military.

It will also be another boost for the Sri Lankan government, which has taken credit for eliminating the Tigers after successive governments failed to either negotiate with the rebels or defeat them. The government says it will not allow the rebel movement to rise again.

1 vanquished   

v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制

参考例句：

• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I vanquished her coldness with my assiduity. 我对她关心照顾从而消除了她的冷淡。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 interrogated   

v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
• Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 procurement   

n.采购；获得

参考例句：

• He is in charge of the procurement of materials.他负责物资的采购。
• More and more,human food procurement came to have a dominant effect on their evolution.人类获取食物愈来愈显著地影响到人类的进化。

5 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

8 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

9 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。