2006年VOA标准英语-Britain's Dirty Bomber Sentenced to 40 Years

By Sonja Pace
London
07 November 2006

A British court has sentenced Muslim convert and al-Qaida operative, Dhiren Barot to life imprisonment¹ to serve a minimum of 40 years, after he pleaded guilty to plotting terrorist attacks in Britain and the United States.

----

		An artists impression of Dhiran Barot

Police followed the movements of British Muslim convert Dhiren Barot for some time and arrested him in August 2004.

Barot pleaded guilty to conspiracy² to murder charges last month and has been sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 40 years.

His plans were detailed³ and devastating⁴ - commit mass murder by setting off explosives and even a radioactive "dirty bomb" at major public sites and transport links in both the United States and in Britain, including the New York Stock Exchange, the World Bank and IMF in Washington, major hotels, and a train under the Thames River in London.

The plans were more than four years in the making, had been approved by senior al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan and were apparently⁵ in the final stages of being carried out, according to police records.

Prosecution⁶ service lawyer, Patrick Stevens, said, "The extent and potential impact of Barot's plans have been made graphically⁷ clear in court over the past two days. Fortunately, as a result of his timely arrest, subsequent conviction, his plans could not be carried out."

At sentencing, Judge Neil Butterfield said Barot had chosen to use his life to bring death and destruction to the Western world and slaughter⁸ hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent men, women and children.

Barot was born into an Indian Hindu family. He worked as an airline ticket agent in central London in the early 1990's, later converted to Islam and traveled to the disputed Kashmir region for an initial terrorist training session. He also received weapons training in Pakistan and further training in the Philippines.

Barot's plans called for massive, synchronized⁹ attacks and including filling stretch limousines¹⁰ with gas canisters and then blowing them up.

1 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

2 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

7 graphically   

adv.通过图表；生动地，轮廓分明地

参考例句：

• This data is shown graphically on the opposite page. 对页以图表显示这些数据。
• The data can be represented graphically in a line diagram. 这些数据可以用单线图表现出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

9 synchronized   

同步的

参考例句：

• Do not use the synchronized keyword in Managed Objects. 不要在管理对象上使用synchronized关键字。 来自互联网
• The timing of the gun was precisely synchronized with the turning of the plane's propeller. 风门的调速与飞机螺旋桨的转动精确同步。 来自辞典例句

10 limousines   

n.豪华轿车( limousine的名词复数 )；（往返机场接送旅客的）中型客车，小型公共汽车

参考例句：

• Elearor hated to use White House limousines because she didn't want people spying on her. 埃莉诺很不愿意使用白宫的小轿车，因为她不愿让人暗中监视她。 来自辞典例句
• Maybe they are seeking for spacious houses and limousines. 也许在追求阔宅豪车。 来自互联网