Iraq security forces thwart prison break after tunnel discovered

 BAGHDAD, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces foiled a prison break attempt in a major prison in west of Baghdad after they discovered an unfinished tunnel dug by the inmates¹, a Justice Ministry² official said on Sunday.

"The guards of Baghdad Central Prison, previously³ named Abu Ghraib prison, thwarted⁴ a prison break plan after they discovered a tunnel with a width of 2.5 meters and a length of 17 meters dug by the inmates," Haider al-Saadi, spokesman of the ministry told reporters here.

He said that the guards discovered the tunnel at about 2:00 a.m. local time (2300 GMT on Saturday), when one of them heard sounds of digging and hammering.

"The minister of justice instructed to refer the director of the prison and the officials responsible for the section of the incident to an investigation⁵ to specify⁶ whether there is any collaboration⁷ between the officials and the inmates," Saadi said.

The notorious Abu Ghraib prison is seen by Iraqis as a torture center under the regime of Saddam Hussein and later a symbol of American abuse of some Iraqi prisoners during the early years after the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003.

Prison breaks and riots frequently occurred in several Iraqi- run prisons across the country in the past few years that resulted in the killing⁸ and wounding of many prisoners and security men as well as the escape of many dangerous prisoners.

1 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

5 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。

6 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

7 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。