VOA英语2010年-Kenyan Policeman Killed in Nairobi Grenade A

A Kenyan Police officer has been killed by an explosion Friday morning in Nairobi.

Early Friday morning an assailant reportedly threw a grenade or some form of explosive device into a Kenyan police vehicle which exploded, injuring those inside. Kenyan police have confirmed the attack killed one of the officers inside, injuring one and leaving two others in critical condition.

Reports indicate that no bystanders were injured in the attack. A local hairdresser, Jane Mbugua, was nearby when she heard the explosion.

Mbugua said the attack occurred around 8:30 am. She rushed to the scene where she found the injured officers lying on the side of the road next to the damaged vehicle. The officers were later rushed to a Nairobi hospital.

Police are now trying to determine the identity of the attacker. The motive¹ of the blast is currently unclear, but Administration Police Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua said the attack could be the result of terrorism.

"This is a clear indication that terrorism is very, very real, globally and in our country," he said. "There are definitely a number of elements who are bent² to cause terror to the members of the public and I would therefore appeal to the members of the public, particularly in this area of Eastleigh, to take it as their responsibility to report, because nobody can claim to be safe from terror activities."

Eastleigh is a neighborhood in Nairobi that has seen an influx³ of Somali communities in recent years. The area is so populated by Somalis that it is known as "little Mogadishu." There is growing concern of the influence of al Qaida-linked insurgent⁴ group al Shabab, which is battling the Somali government just beyond Kenya's northeastern borders. Al-Shabab has reportedly begun recruiting in Eastleigh for its struggle against the Somali government.

The attack occurred in Eastleigh's Section Three - an area which is less heavily populated by the Somali community. The commandant did not specify⁵ whether al-Shabab was responsible for Friday's attack, but the Police Anti-Terrorism Unit has reportedly launched an investigation⁶ into the blast.

Kenya is no stranger to terrorist attacks. In 1998 the US Embassy in Nairobi was hit by a truck bomb which killed hundreds and injured thousands more. The attack was carried out by local al-Qaida operatives, who simultaneously⁷ bombed the U.S. Embassy in neighboring Tanzania.

1 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

2 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

3 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

4 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。

5 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

6 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。

7 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。