2006年VOA标准英语-Pakistan Denies Islamic Charity Link to UK Bomb

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
15 August 2006

Pakistan has rejected recent news reports linking a local charity with the alleged¹ plan to blow up passenger planes headed to the United States from Britain. Officials insist money donated for earthquake relief did not fund suspected terrorists.

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Ministry2 spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam speaks during a press conference in Islamabad, Tuesday, August 15, 2006 " src="/upimg/allimg/070416/1416050.jpg" width="137" border="0" /> Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam speaks during a press conference in Islamabad, Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told reporters the allegations that money was diverted from charities to terror groups are completely baseless.

"These are all absurd stories. The objective is to malign³ Pakistan and to cast a shadow on the efforts made by Pakistan to uncover and foil this terrorist plot," she said.

The New York Times and Washington Post newspapers published stories this week suggesting a Pakistani charity, Jamaat ud-Dawa, may have provided funds for the alleged bomb plot.

Authorities in London are reportedly investigating an unnamed Pakistani charity with offices in Britain.

Britain is holding 23 people for questioning in connection with the broader investigation⁴ into the alleged bomb plot.

Pakistan, which has been credited with helping⁵ uncover the plan, has also arrested at least 17 other suspects, including a British citizen with alleged ties to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

The New York Times also said this week that Pakistani authorities are exploring a possible link between the suspects and the Jamaat ud-Dawa charity.

The United States has banned the charity as a terrorist organization on the grounds that it has links with the Pakistani Islamic militant⁶ group Lashkar-e Tayyiba, which is a State Department designated terrorist organization.

Lashkar-e Tayyiba is one of the largest groups fighting Indian forces in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. U.S. officials accuse the group of maintaining ties with al-Qaida. Pakistan banned the organization in 2002 for links to terrorism.

Despite those concerns, Jamaat ud-Dawa, the charity, operated relief camps in Kashmir following last year's deadly earthquake.

Jamaat ud-Dawa has denied funding any terrorist activities. It has also denied claims in The New York Times that it raises funds in mosques⁷ in Britain.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

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 malign   

adj.有害的；恶性的；恶意的；v.诽谤，诬蔑

参考例句：

• It was easy to see why the cartoonists regularly portrayed him as a malign cherub.难怪漫画家总是把他画成一个邪恶的小天使。
• She likes to malign innocent persons.她爱诋毁那些清白的人。

4 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。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

7 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。