VOA常速英语2007年-Philippines Convicts 14 Abu Sayyaf Militants Li

By Douglas Bakshian
Manila
06 December 2007

A Philippine court has convicted 14 militants² of kidnapping 20 people in a 2001 incident that eventually left two Americans dead, including one who was beheaded. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.

 

A Manila court Thursday sentenced 14 members of the Abu Sayyaf group to life in prison for their part in the crime. Four other suspects were acquitted³.

Robert Courtney, a U.S. Justice Department attaché at the Manila embassy, praised the ruling, saying it sends a strong message about dealing⁴ with terrorism.

The kidnapping drama began in 2001 on the western resort island of Palawan, and ended a year later in the jungles of the southern Philippines.

A few weeks after being abducted⁵ American Guillermo Sobero was beheaded. The militants moved the hostages around for one year while negotiating for ransom⁶. American missionary⁷ Martin Burnham and Filipino nurse Deborah Yap were later killed in an army rescue operation in 2002. Burnham's wife, Gracia, survived.

In a book about the ordeal⁸, entitled "In the Presence of My Enemies", she alleged⁹ that an unnamed Filipino general tried to keep part of the money raised for ransom for the hostages, and that soldiers had delivered supplies to the guerrillas.

The kidnapping captured the attention of the international community and gave the United States the opportunity to send troops to the Philippines to train the military in counter terrorism.

Rommel Banlaoi, of the Philippine Institute for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, believes the incident was a key event in the U.S.-led War on Terror.

"Because of the incident the United States invigorated its security alliance with the Philippines in order to crush the Abu Sayyaf group which is believed to be linked with the Al Qaida organization of Osama Bin¹⁰ Laden¹¹, and even has strong links with [the regional militant¹ group] Jemmah Islamiya," said Banlaoi.

U.S.-backed operations with Philippine troops several years ago dislodged Abu Sayyaf guerrillas from bases on Basilan island. In the last year-and-a-half Philippine forces also killed several key leaders of the group on Jolo island.

Security officials estimate there are about 300 Abu Sayyaf guerrillas left in the southern Philippines, down from a peak of around one thousand.

Abu Sayyaf is a small but deadly militant group, known for bloody¹² kidnappings and bombings.

1 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。

2 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。

3 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

6 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

7 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

8 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

9 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

10 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

11 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

12 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。