IN THE NEWS - Egyptian Man Questioned About London Bombings

IN THE NEWS - Egyptian Man Questioned About London Bombings
By Nancy Steinbach, Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Saturday, July 16, 2005

I'm Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

In Cairo Friday, officials confirmed the arrest of an Egyptian man sought in connection with the London bombings last week. Egypt's Interior Ministry¹ says he denies any involvement.

Magdy Elnashar is thirty-three years old. He studied in the United States at North Carolina State University. He received a doctorate² in biochemistry from the University of Leeds in northern England in May.

Mister Elnashar told Egyptian officials that he came for the university vacation time and planned to return to Britain. Reports say he arrived in Egypt before the attacks in London on July seventh.

The attacks killed more than fifty people and injured seven hundred. Bombs exploded on a bus and three Underground trains. On Thursday, one week later, the European Union remembered the victims with two minutes of silence.

Four British men have been named as the suspected bombers³. Police say all four are dead. Images from security cameras show the men at King's Cross station about thirty minutes before the train explosions. Police say the four had arrived in London that morning by train.

Three lived in Leeds. They were born in Britain to families from Pakistan. Police say they found evidence of explosives during searches of homes in the city.

 
Ian Blair (file photo)
Metropolitan⁴ Police Commissioner⁵ Ian Blair says the search for supporters of the plot continues. On Friday, he described the four men as "foot soldiers." He says officials expect to find a link to the al-Qaida group. And he says part of the investigation⁶ involves Pakistan where at least one man went for religious education.

The attacks in London last week, and the train bombings in Madrid last year, have many worried about what may happen next.

European Union officials met in Brussels last year after the bombings in Spain. Those attacks killed almost two hundred people and injured almost two thousand. The officials developed a list of more than one hundred fifty measures to prevent more attacks. But not all have been put into effect.

European Union officials met again last week in Brussels to discuss security. They agreed to speed up the anti-terrorism measures approved last year. These include blocking money that could go to terrorist groups and increasing cooperation among European intelligence services. Twenty-five nations are in the European Union.

British Home Secretary Charles Clarke says living without fear of terrorism should be recognized as a human right. Yet human rights groups say they fear that the European Union could go too far and restrict civil liberties.

Prime Minister Tony Blair proposes his own anti-terrorism plan. It includes calls for studying stronger ways for Britain to keep out or expel anyone who incites⁷ hatred⁸. Mister Blair has also called for talks with British Muslim leaders.

IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English was written by Nancy Steinbach and Jerilyn Watson.  I'm Steve Ember.

1 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。

2 doctorate   

n.(大学授予的)博士学位

参考例句：

• He hasn't enough credits to get his doctorate.他的学分不够取得博士学位。
• Where did she do her doctorate?她在哪里攻读博士？

3 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

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 incites   

刺激，激励，煽动( incite的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In all countries any person who incites others to insurrection is guilty of treason. 在任何国家里，煽动他人谋反者，都属犯叛国罪。
• The success of the handicapped man incites us to pursue our dreams. 这位残疾人的成功激励我们追求自己的梦想。

8 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。