英国卫报:绑架为何成了一门生意(4)

London is the global centre for K&R insurance, but it has not always been a comfortable fit.

伦敦是绑架和赎金保险的中心，但它并不总是一个适合它的地方。

Different countries take different approaches to dealing¹ with the kidnapping of their nationals –

不同的国家采取不同的方法来处理绑架他们的国民——

and the UK, along with the US, has long been a leader of the so-called “no concessions²” camp,

英国和美国一直是所谓“不让步”阵营的领导者，

officially refusing to negotiate with terrorists, pay ransom³ or make concessions.

官方拒绝与恐怖分子谈判、支付赎金或做出让步。

In April 1986, Jennifer Guinness, the wife of banker and member of the Guinness brewing⁴ family John Guinness,

1986年4月，银行家、吉尼斯酿造家族成员约翰·吉尼斯的妻子詹妮弗·吉尼斯

was kidnapped by a gang that demanded a ransom of 2m pounds.

被一个团伙绑架，该团伙要求200万英镑的赎金。

She was rescued in a police raid only eight days after being abducted⁵.

在被绑架8天后，她就在一次警察突袭中获救。

But the fact that a K&R policy had been triggered

但事实上绑架和赎金保险已经触发，

and Control Risks were brought in to negotiate a possible ransom sparked outrage⁶.

并且控制风险公司介入，就可能的赎金进行谈判，这引发了愤怒。

“Private security firms such as the ones called in on the Guinness kidnapping

私人安保公司，比如那些参与了吉尼斯绑架事件的安保公司

are operating at the very frontiers of official tolerance,” a top police official announced.

都处于官方容忍的极限，”一位高级警官宣布。

The Thatcher⁷ government charged that the insurance industry was fuelling a global kidnapping epidemic⁸,

撒切尔政府指责保险业助长了全球绑架的泛滥，

facilitating the payment of ransom and undermining the British no-concessions policy.

促成了赎金的支付，破坏了英国的不让步政策。

The logic⁹ of that policy is that paying ransom puts a target on the back of British citizens, increasing the risk of future kidnappings.

这一政策的逻辑是，支付赎金会让英国公民成为绑架的对象，增加未来绑架的风险。

It also puts money into the hands of terrorist organisations, which is used to finance their ongoing¹⁰ operations.

它还将资金交到恐怖组织手中，用于资助他们正在进行的行动。

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

3 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

4 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

5 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

6 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

7 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

8 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

9 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

10 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。