2007年VOA标准英语-British Court Finds 4 Muslim Extremists Guilty

A British court has handed guilty verdicts for four men in plotting to bomb London's transport system in July 2005. Jury deliberations continue for two others implicated¹ in the plot. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London the verdicts come amid stinging criticism of Britain's anti-terror efforts.

Monday's guilty verdicts stem from charges against six men accused of attempting to set off homemade bombs on several subway trains and a bus in London on July 21, 2005. The devices failed to explode and no one was injured in the attempted attacks. All six are Muslims of African origin.

The failed bombings came just two weeks after coordinated² suicide attacks on London's transport system on July 7, 2005, which killed 52 commuters.

British police are now investigating recent bomb attempts. Explosive devices were defused in two abandoned cars found in central London on June 29. A day later two men rammed³ their four-wheel drive vehicle into the main airport terminal in Glasgow, Scotland, causing a fire.

Eight suspects are in custody⁴, most of them worked for Britain's national health service and come from countries in the Middle East or from India.

But, at the same time British anti-terror efforts have come under criticism from the international police agency, Interpol. Interpol chief, Ronald Noble, says Britain is out of step with the international norm.

"The U.K.'s anti-terrorist effort is in the wrong century, is not aware of what we are able to do today, globally and they should do more," he said. We [Interpol] do not have one metropolitan⁵ police officer from their [British] anti-terrorism unit assigned o Interpol - not one."

Speaking on British television, Noble said Britain, like most countries, has not taken full advantage of an Interpol database to track seven million lost or stolen passports, which he says could help track suspected terrorists.

Noble also criticized Britain for not sharing with Interpol information on the three recent car bombs in London and Glasgow.

British officials say they are working closely with Interpol and member states and they cite international cooperation into the car-bomb investigation⁶.