2006年VOA标准英语-Accused Kidnap Gang Leader Extradited to F

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
04 March 2006

Youssef Fofana, center, the lead suspect in the torture killing¹ of a young French Jewish man, is escorted to a French military plane   
  
The alleged² leader of a gang accused of torturing a Jewish man to death near Paris has been extradited to France from Ivory Coast.

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Youssouf Fofana's extradition³ from Ivory Coast comes more than a week after French police were sent to the West African country to track him down. He fled there shortly after the death of Jewish telephone salesman, Ilan Halimi.

Halimi had been kidnapped and tortured for three weeks before being dumped, naked and covered with burns, near a railway track outside Paris last month. He died on the way to the hospital.

French authorities say Halimi was killed, in part, because he was Jewish.

Police have questioned more than 18 people in connection with Halimi's kidnapping and death.  Many of them are members of a suburban⁴ gang, calling themselves "the barbarians⁵." Fofana, who is of Ivorian extraction, is the suspected gang leader.

Joseph Zrihen, vice⁶ president of France's representative Jewish council, said he was satisfied at the news of Fofana's extradition to France.

In a telephone interview, Zrihen said, the Jewish community believes French justice can now do its work, and that Fofana will be tried as he deserves. Zrihen says that will be a big satisfaction, not only to Halimi's family but also to France's Jewish community, and to all French who cannot accept that people kill without consequences.

Fofana has offered conflicting responses about his involvement in Halimi's death. A televised interview of Fofana in jail in Ivory Coast was broadcast in France on Monday. Many viewers were shocked to watch Fofana smiling and eating, as he responded to questions about Halimi's killing.

Tens-of-thousands of people demonstrated across France a week ago against anti-Semitism and racism⁷.

1 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

2 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

3 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。

4 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

5 barbarians   

n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人

参考例句：

• The ancient city of Rome fell under the iron hooves of the barbarians. 古罗马城在蛮族的铁蹄下沦陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It conquered its conquerors, the barbarians. 它战胜了征服者——蛮族。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。