2006年VOA标准英语-Car Bomb Attack Foiled on US Embassy in Damascu

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo, Egypt
12 September 2006

watch Embassy Attack report 

Syrian security officers gather in front the U.S Embassy after an attack in Damascus, Sept. 12, 2006

Syrian security forces say they have foiled a terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus.  The assailants exploded a car bomb and apparently¹ tried to detonate another one.  Syrian officials say three of the attackers were killed and a fourth was wounded and captured.  The state news agency says one Syrian soldier was killed and at least 11 other people injured. 

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Syrian officials say four men attacked the U.S. Embassy with car bombs and small-arms fire.  Witnesses said the assailants threw grenades at the embassy compound and shouted "Allahu akbar," or "God is great."

Interior Minister Bassem Abdel-Majid said there were two cars involved in the attack, one of which exploded.  He said the second did not detonate and was being examined by explosives experts.

He says, "Clearly, it was a terrorist operation targeting the American Embassy.  The terrorist group is still unidentified, and investigations³ are ongoing⁴.  One of them [the attackers] was detained.  He is wounded.  An investigation² could uncover some of their background and where they came from."

Syrian and U.S. officials say there were no American casualties.  Syrian security forces sealed off the entire diplomatic district after the attack.

Television footage taken outside the embassy showed pools of blood and a burned-out car on the street.  Another vehicle, a white car or van, was shown packed with gas canisters and what appeared to be pipe bombs. 

The attack came one day after the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and a warning by al-Qaida deputy chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri that new attacks against American targets should be expected in the Persian Gulf⁵ and Israel.  Some Syrian officials say the attack in Damascus does bear some of the hallmarks of al-Qaida, but it is too early to say who actually carried it out. 

Political science professor Samir al-Taqi of the Center for Strategic Studies at Damascus University says even if they are not actually members of al-Qaida, the assailants may have drawn⁶ inspiration from the terrorist group.

"Personally, it wasn't for me a surprise because the situation now is that the activity is very high, in the whole region, of al-Qaida," al-Taqi says. "I don't know whether it has been really al-Qaida, but at least the Salafist, jihadist organizations with all their direct connections with al-Qaida itself, do appear to be linked."

In June, Syrian security forces said they foiled an attack by Islamist militants⁸ near the state-owned television station.  Four militants and a security guard were killed in that clash.

At the same time, diplomatic relations between Syria and the United States have been at an all-time low. 

Washington withdrew its ambassador from Damascus a year and a half ago after the assassination⁹ of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which the United States blames Syria for.  Syria denies any involvement.  Washington also accuses Damascus of supporting anti-Israeli militant⁷ groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as insurgent¹⁰ groups in Iraq.  Syria says U.S. policies, including the war in Iraq and support for Israel, are fueling Islamic militancy¹¹ in the Middle East.  

Al-Taqi says those strained relations have hurt cooperation between the U.S. and Syria on the fight against terrorism.

"I think it's a major necessity," al-Taqi says. "From my point of view, unfortunately, because there has been a kind of demonization of Syria, unfortunately, the Syrian-American debate and cooperation is not going as it should be in the interest of the anti-terror activity worldwide."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked Syrian security forces for their aggressive response to the attack, and said it is too early to tell who might have been responsible. 

1 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。

2 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。

3 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

4 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。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 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。

8 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。

9 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

10 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

11 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。