VOA标准英语2013--France Deploys Special Forces as Terrorism Fears Grow

 

France Deploys¹ Special Forces as Terrorism Fears Grow

France has deployed² more than 700 soldiers across the capital as fears grow over the potential for reprisals³ following the military intervention⁴ in Mali.

Calls for retaliation⁵

An array of Islamic jihadi websites are calling for attacks on France, says Jean-Charles Brisard, a French terrorism expert and former chief investigator⁶ for the 9/11 families.

“They are calling for retaliations in Africa, because they can carry them out in Africa - their own retaliation by these groups - but for France they’re calling for the emergence⁷ of new ‘Mohammed Merahs’ - that means they essentially⁸ are relying on home-grown terrorism," said Brisard.

That has a deep resonance⁹ in France, just 10 months after three soldiers and four Jewish citizens were killed in a series of attacks in the southern city of Toulouse. The gunman, French-born Mohammed Merah, said he was partly motivated by the presence of French soldiers in Afghanistan.

Investigations¹⁰ suggested he was not a ‘lone wolf’ terrorist. Terror expert Jean-Charles Brisard says several active networks have direct links to the Sahel.

“About 30 terrorism cells here in France, supporting financially or materially, or recruiting for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb," he said. "That means we know they have relays - they had in the past but we know they still have relays here in France, in the radical¹¹ Islamic community. Those individuals are under surveillance.”

Increasing security measures

Security is also being stepped up on metro¹² and rail services in Paris. Terror attacks in London in 2005 and Madrid in 2004 targeted the cities’ public transport systems.

Most residents appear reassured¹³ that the authorities will keep them safe.

“I’m not worried, I think that France is ready to resist by itself," said one.

“You must be careful of course, but I think what the French military is doing in Mali is good for humanity, good for the world," said another.

With tight security at home, experts say the most vulnerable targets are French and Western interests in Africa.

Guarding natural resources

The attack by Islamic militants¹⁴ on the Ain Amenas gas plant in Algeria last week resulted in the deaths of at least 37 foreign workers.

In addition to the 2500 troops being sent to Mali, France has deployed Special Forces to protect uranium mines in Niger. Damien Helly is a visiting professor at the College of Europe.

“Twenty percent of France’s electricity is dependent on uranium from the Sahel," said Helly. "And subsequently, a large part of European growth is dependent on the health of the French economy. So there is a clear link if you want between French and European interests in this region. All this combined together made the case for an intervention.”

Despite the government warning of an increased risk of terrorism, recent polls show 65 percent of French people back the military intervention in Mali. For most Parisians - and tourists - it appears it is business as usual. 

1 deploys   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的第三人称单数 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• It then deploys "decoy" programs designed to attract the virus. 然后，它释放“诱饵”去吸引病毒。
• But when that doesn't work, he deploys his secret defense mechanism. 但没有效果，它要施展绝密自卫武器了。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 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》

6 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

7 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

8 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

9 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 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。

12 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

13 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 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。