VOA慢速英语--IS游击队会进入欧洲活动吗?

AS IT IS 2016-04-05 Is IS Guerrilla Activity Coming to Europe? IS游击队会进入欧洲活动吗?

Security agencies trying to break up Islamic State (IS) terror cells in Europe fear that IS supporters will use guerrilla tactics to attack major targets.

Concerns were raised when images and floor plans of the Belgian prime minister’s office were found on a laptop computer. The computer was found during a search related to the suspects in the Brussels bombings.

There is also the evidence that two of the Brussels bombers¹ had video recordings² of a scientist at Belgium’s Tihange nuclear center.

These developments suggest some terror cells are ready to give up attacks on what have been called “soft targets,” such as train stations or eateries. Islamic State supporters instead might be preparing to attack bigger, more symbolic³ places.

“They’re very invested in the pageantry of it all, so I wouldn’t be surprised,” said one U.S. official who knows about the intelligence on IS. "There is no question that they see Europe as a battlefield.”

European officials are worried. And their ability to find and stop possible terror plots differs from one country to the next.

“We still have a very high level of concern for new terror attacks,” a Western diplomat⁴ told VOA. “The level of engagement and commitment to discover potential attacks is very high.” The official agreed to speak after VOA promised not to release his name.

Another concern is Islamic State’s growing use of the Internet to share intelligence between its leadership at home and their terrorist groups around the world.

IS has specialized⁵ in putting all its combat lessons learned online, said Malcom Nance⁶, a former intelligence and anti-terrorism officer. He now heads the Terror Asymmetrics Project.

Nance said that armor-plated vehicles used in Ramadi are now showing up in Somalia and in Benghazi, Libya. “And all of their intelligence sharing is happening at a very rudimentary (or simple) level, and it’s very hard ... (to capture).”

At first, intelligence was centered on IS militants⁷ using the November 2015 Paris attacks as a model. In other words, they were hitting many “soft targets” at once, and killing⁸ or wounding many civilians⁹. But the Brussels attacks suggest the group is growing bolder – unafraid of its enemies.

U.S. officials now believe IS is “deeply rooted” in Europe, making the situation more dangerous. There could be hundreds of jihadists who have returned home from Syria and Iraq, working to make thousands more into guerrillas who can still attack after suffering losses.

Experts on terrorism like Malcolm Nance say the video of the Belgian nuclear scientist, and the laptop plans of the prime minister’s office, mean it is only a matter of time before IS fighters hit high value targets.

“You absolutely should just assume that they are all ready to attack,” Nance warned.

In the event of an attack on a nuclear center, Nance said, the goal would be to cause a meltdown inside. It would turn the reactor¹⁰ into a “dirty bomb,” and release radioactive material.

But Belgian officials have said there is little to show such attacks are about to take place.

However, in France, officials say a terror cell did appear to be on the edge of taking action. On Wednesday, government lawyers announced terror charges against 34-year-old Frenchman Reda Kriket. They said the supply of explosives and arms found in his home was a sign that he planned an act of “extreme violence” very soon.

Words in This Story

tactics - n. methods

symbolic – adj. expressing or showing an idea or quality without using words

pageantry – n. use of special clothing, traditions and ceremonies are part of a special event

potential - adj. possible

combat - adj. related to fighting

jihadists – n. one engaged in armed opposition to Western influence and culture

1 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

3 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

4 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

5 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

6 nance   

n.娘娘腔的男人，男同性恋者

参考例句：

• I think he's an awful nance.我觉得他这个人太娘娘腔了。
• He doesn't like to be called a nance.他不喜欢被叫做娘娘腔。

7 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。

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。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。