VOA标准英语2008年-India to Strengthen National Security Following

Indian authorities have announced a series of measures to strengthen security following recent bombings in major cities, including the capital. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the government has come under attack for not doing enough to counter terrorism.
　
Madhukar Gupta (file photo)

Indian Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta says a new counter-terrorism center will be established to prevent terror attacks in the country. He says more police personnel will also be recruited, and closed-circuit TV cameras installed in crowded places such as shopping malls.

Officials also acknowledged they must be ready to deal with threats from home-grown militants².

The measures, which are part of a revamp of the police and intelligence apparatus³, were announced days after the Indian capital was hit by a series of bomb blasts.
　
People carry an injured woman after a bomb explosion in New Delhi, India, 13 Sep 2008

New Delhi was the latest target of bomb attacks that have killed more than 100 people in major cities during the past four months. The pattern of attacks has been similar, low-intensity bombs planted in crowded areas such as markets.

The bombings have led to strong criticism that the government lacks an effective counter-terrorist policy, and intelligence agencies are not able to tackle the menace.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitted Wednesday there are "still vast gaps in intelligence and these need to be overcome."

Home Secretary Gupta says efforts are being made to strengthen vigilance and intelligence gathering⁴.

"There is a very specific element and component⁵ of this, which is basically a joint⁶ task force between the central agencies and the concerned states which work together, sharing of information, getting linkages⁷, pool information from various other places and various other states where these things have happened," he said.

But the government has turned down calls by the opposition⁸ Bharatiya Janata Party for the reinstatement of a tough anti-terror law that was scrapped⁹ by the government after it came to power. The BJP says the law is needed to tackle the growing terror threat, but the government says it was misused¹⁰ to harass¹¹ Muslims.

Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi says the law will not be revived.

"Categorically, I say no, no, no," he said. "It [the law] was acutely draconian¹² against human rights."

Security experts are also urging the government to pay closer attention to the threat posed by home-grown militant¹ groups. A group called Indian Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several of the recent bombings.

Previously¹³, India pointed¹⁴ the finger at Pakistan-based Islamic militant groups for terror attacks, but there are fears the recent attacks were the work of a locally based group.

 

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 linkages   

n.连接( linkage的名词复数 )；结合；联系；联动装置

参考例句：

• Only the thermosetting resins provide a strong cohesive forces; this is due to molecular cross linkages. 只有热固性树脂具有巨大的凝聚力，这是由于分子交错链所造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The linkages between the stable units must be as near as possible of equal stability. 稳定链节之间的键必须有尽可能接近的稳定性。 来自辞典例句

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

10 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。

12 draconian   

adj.严苛的；苛刻的；严酷的；龙一样的

参考例句：

• You can't expect the people to obey such draconian regulations.你不能指望人民服从如此严苛的规定。
• The city needs a draconian way of dealing with robbers.这个城市需要一个严苛的办法来对付强盗。

13 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

14 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。