2007年VOA标准英语-Two South Africans to Fight Charge of Al-Qaida

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
23 January 2007

Two South African Muslims accused of having ties to the al-Qaida terrorist network say they will challenge the charge and are asking authorities to provide them with proof.  The response follows a request by the U.S. government to place the two on a U.N. sanctions list.  Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

South African Foreign Ministry¹ spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa Tuesday said his government is talking to the U.S. government about Washington's request to place two South Africans on the U.N. Security Council's list of people with suspected ties to international terrorism.

"We have been discussing with the American authorities on this issue," Mamoepa said. "We will continue to engage the American authorities regarding this matter and at this stage we are waiting for a directive from our Minister of Foreign Affairs on the way forward."

Officials say the U.N. Security Council Friday placed the two South Africans on the list after hearing charges that they are suspected facilitators and financiers for al-Qaida and the Taleban.

The two accused are Junaid Dockrat, a dentist from Johannesburg, and his cousin Farhad Dockrat, a cleric from the Pretoria area.  They deny the charges.

Their lawyer, Shaheed Dollie, Tuesday told South African radio that he was asking the United Nations, the U.S. government and the South African government to provide evidence to support the charge.

"We believe it is a clear case of a mountain being made of a molehill.  There is absolutely no truth," Dollie said. "The Dockrats have denied it and they have denied it since they have been approached with these allegations."

He says the molehill, or reason for the accusation², is most likely the men's ownership of a company that sells camouflage³ clothing for hunters.  This type of clothing is also used by military and paramilitary groups.

The lawyer acknowledges Dr. Dockrat traveled frequently to Asia and the Middle East, but said this was for business and religious purposes.

Dollie says Dr. Dockrat has been under surveillance for three years.

"If in these three years the South African government and the United States foreign agencies have not been able to pin anything on Dr. Dockrat apart from speculative⁴ and wild allegations then there can be absolutely no truth to it," Dollie said. "In fact they would have acted far sooner."

The South African government has until Friday to object before the Security Council.  If it does not object, the assets of the Dockrats will be frozen and their passports seized. 

1 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。

2 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

3 camouflage   

n./v.掩饰，伪装

参考例句：

• The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。
• The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。

4 speculative   

adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的

参考例句：

• Much of our information is speculative.我们的许多信息是带推测性的。
• The report is highly speculative and should be ignored.那个报道推测的成分很大，不应理会。