在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

恐怖分子招募外国战士构成国际威胁

Foreign fighters are flooding into Syria and Iraq in record numbers. Up to 15,000 foreign fighters from at least 81 nations are believed to be engaged in the war in those two countries.

外国战斗人员正以创纪录的数量涌入叙利亚和伊拉克。据信，来自至少81个国家的多达15000名的外国武装分子参与了发生在这两个国家的战争。是什么因素促使外国激进分子来到中东地区加入圣战呢？

Some analysts¹ say it is the largest recruitment of foreign fighters since the Afghan jihad against occupying Soviet² troops in the 1980's.

有分析人士称，这是继1980年代抵抗苏联军队入侵的阿富汗圣战之后，最大规模的招募外国战士。

As in Afghanistan, most of the foreigners fighting in Syria and Iraq come from the Arab world. But this time several thousand of them carry Western passports, including from the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

和在阿富汗一样，大多数在叙利亚和伊拉克作战的外国战斗人员都来自阿拉伯世界。但是这一次，他们中有几千人持西方国家护照，包括欧盟国家、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚和新西兰。

At least 1,000 have arrived from Russia as well, according to intelligence experts. And as the fighting continues, the numbers of foreign fighters are growing.

据情报专家称，还有至少一千人来自俄罗斯。随着战事的继续进行，外国好战分子的数量也不断增长。

Most of the militants³ are fighting alongside the group calling itself Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. It is the largest, most zealous⁴ and dangerous group in a battleground riddled⁵ with jihadists.

大多数武装分子都与自称“伊斯兰国”的组织一同战斗。在圣战分子遍布的战场上，“伊斯兰国”是规模最大、最狂热也是最危险的组织。

A New York-based intelligence firm, the Soufan Group, says the region has been transformed into an “incubator for a new generation of terrorists” thriving close to Western borders.

总部设在纽约的情报公司苏凡集团（the Soufan Group）说，这个区域已经被转变成一个“新一代恐怖分子的孵化器”，在靠近西方国家边境的地区发展壮大。

A lot of them are young and many of those arriving from the West are converts to Islam, says Patrick Skinner, the Soufan Group’s security expert, speaking via Skype.

苏凡集团的安全专家帕特里克?斯金纳说，他们中很多是年轻人， 而来自西方国家的很多人是半路皈依伊斯兰教的人。

“They appeal to target audiences - between 15 to 25-year-olds, primarily male but not always - with a sense of fun. In the West, they are making ‘jihad’ seem like a video game. They don’t show the true horrors of war. They just show Hollywood explosions and the fun. And teenagers by definition are looking for excitement," said Skinner.

他说： “他们以一种带娱乐的方式来吸引介于15至25岁目标受众，主要是男性，但也不全是。在西方，他们让‘圣战’看起来像电子游戏。他们不会展现战争真正的可怕，而只是好莱坞式的爆炸和乐趣。青少年显然会寻找令人兴奋的事物。”

“They are disaffected⁶, they feel no connection with society, with family. So ISIS fills that void perfectly⁷.”

斯金纳说： “这些人心怀不满，他们觉得和社会、和家庭没有关系。所以‘伊斯兰国’恰好填补了这份空虚。”

Some have a sense of Muslim persecution⁸.

一些人觉得穆斯林受迫害。

“They want to go help fight for Sunnis, in this case Muslims who are being oppressed by the Assad regime and now the West," said Skinner.

“他们想要为逊尼派而战，也就是那些之前被阿萨德政权，现在被西方压迫的穆斯林，” 斯金纳说。

Others are zealots attracted to violence, says terrorism expert Brian Jenkins.

兰德公司恐怖主义问题专家布莱恩?詹金斯说，其他人则是被暴力所吸引的狂热分子。

“The fact that they broadcast that [violence] suggests that they think this will not only terrify their opponents, but will appeal to a certain group of people who want to come and participate in that," said Jenkins.

“事实上，他们播放那些暴力视频说明他们不仅认为这样能够震慑敌人，同时也会对一些想要前来加入他们的特定人群存在吸引力。”

Jenkins also emphasizes the international concern over what these young men - and some women - might do once they leave the battlefield after being exposed to the radicalizing influences of jihadi extremism.

詹金斯还强调说，这些年轻男人以及一些女人在接收了圣战极端分子的激进影响后，一旦他们离开战场会做出什么行为，这点也是国际性的担忧。

Western nations, particularly in Europe, are wary⁹ that returning jihadists could carry out terrorist acts on their soil, says Jorge Benitez, a security and NATO expert at the Atlantic Council.

大西洋理事会的安全和北约专家乔治?贝尼特斯说，西方国家，特别是欧洲国家担心，回国的圣战分子可能在本国实施恐怖主义。

"The barbarity of the things they are learning - from beheadings to crucifixion - they are very concerned that these types of individuals will return to Europe, because they still have EU passports, and will start feeding this type of malignant¹⁰ fanaticism¹¹ and violence in Europe," said Benitez.

他说： “这些人学习从斩首到酷刑的残酷暴行。欧洲国家担心这些人会回归欧洲，因为他们还持有欧盟护照，并且会开始将这种恶性的狂热和暴力传入欧洲。”

The issue of terrorists recruiting foreigners to fight in the Middle East has prompted U.S. President Barack Obama to preside over an unusual meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss how to halt this mounting global threat.

恐怖分子招募外国人在中东地区战斗的问题促使美国总统奥巴马主持召开联合国安理会的一次不同寻常的会议，来讨论如何停止这场愈演愈烈的国际威胁。