VOA标准英语2010年-Military Leader of ETA Under Arrest

French police officers are seen near the house where anti-terrorist agents arrested four suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA in Bayonne, southwestern France, 20 May 2010

French and Spanish authorities have arrested six alleged¹ members of ETA, including the reported military leader of the Basque separatist group.

 The French Interior Ministry² said the arrests of the ETA members took place in the French Basque region.  Among those nabbed was ETA's presumed military chief, Mikel Karrera Sarobe, and two others. 

Spain's Interior Ministry said three other suspected members were arrested in a separate location along with one of their companions.  The arrests were made by French police and the Spanish Civil Guards.

If confirmed, the arrest of ETA's military chief is the latest in a series setbacks for the separatist group, which has waged a bloody³ campaign for an independent Basque state in parts of northern Spain and southwestern France.  ETA is blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people during the past four decades, with most of the assassinations⁴ taking place in Spain.

French ETA expert Christian⁵ Aguerre says the arrests underscore the group's increasing weakness.  French and Spanish authorities have arrested five other ETA leaders during the past two years.

Aguerre said that in the 1980s and 1990s, authorities arrested key ETA members every few years.  Today, it is happening every few months.  The replacements⁶ are increasingly young and inexperienced.

Aguerre believes ETA will eventually be eradicated⁷, but it is impossible to say when.  He doubts it will take place this year or even in a few years from now.

ETA has increasingly lost support among ordinary Basques, partly because of its bloody tactics.  At the same time, Aguerre notes, it has always been able to find young, disenfranchised Basques to join its cause.

 

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 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。

4 assassinations   

n.暗杀( assassination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Most anarchist assassinations were bungled because of haste or spontaneity, in his view. 在他看来，无政府主义者搞的许多刺杀都没成功就是因为匆忙和自发行动。 来自辞典例句
• Assassinations by Israelis of alleged terrorists habitually kill nearby women and children. 在以色列，自称恐怖分子的炸弹自杀者杀害靠近自己的以色列妇女和儿童。 来自互联网

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

7 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。