VOA标准英语2012--MEK in Court to Force US to Drop Terrorist Label

MEK in Court to Force US to Drop Terrorist Label 

Day-after-day, supporters of the Iranian opposition¹ MEK hold protests outside the U.S. State Department in Washington, demanding the group be removed from the department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

The group, also known as the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), has been in federal court seeking to compel Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make a decision.

In 2009, the court ordered the State Department to review the group's terrorist designation, and to provide information on the criteria² for getting on - and off - the list.

Allan Gerson, an attorney for the MEK, contends the State Department has delayed its response.

"A year and a half ago, the MEK/PMOI went to court - to the U.S. Court of Appeals - to ask the Court of Appeals whether or not they have been denied due process," said Gerson. "Because, even a foreign organization is entitled to some element of due process. You can't just be put on a terrorism list, they contend, without any criteria. Otherwise, you are left totally to the discretion³ of a federal agency."

The State Department's list arises from a 1996 U.S. law. What does it take to place a group on that list?

"The criteria, under the law, have to do with being an organization, being foreign, having been involved in terrorism - and having the capability⁴ and/or the inclination⁵ to conduct terrorism that directly or indirectly⁶ affects U.S. interests," explained Georgetown University professor Paul Pillar.

Another attorney representing the MEK, Steven Schneebaum, says that under those specific definitions, the group should be removed from the list.

"It does not have - and I am using the statutory language - it does not have the capability, or the intent, to engage in terrorism. Those are the statutory bases for listing [as a Foreign Terrorist Organization]. The secretary [of state] must affirmatively find that an organization has both the capability and the intent of engaging in terrorism," noted⁷ Schneebaum.

Schneebaum says that when U.S. forces in 2003 entered the MEK's base in Iraq, called Camp Ashraf, residents surrendered their weapons and signed pledges renouncing⁸ terrorism and violence. That, he contends, answers the letter of the law's criteria for being removed from the list of terrorist groups.

The group's lawyers recently filed a legal document called a Writ⁹ of Mandamus against Secretary of State Clinton to try to force a decision, but State Department official Henry Wooster said Clinton is not ready to act.

Some political observers say a desire by the U.S. to avoid upsetting nuclear talks with Iran may be a reason why the MEK's status is unchanged - for now. 

1 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。

2 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

3 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

6 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 renouncing   

v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• He enraged the government by renouncing the agreement. 他否认那项协议，从而激怒了政府。 来自辞典例句
• What do you get for renouncing Taiwan and embracing Beijing instead? 抛弃台湾，并转而拥抱北京之后，你会得到什么？ 来自互联网

9 writ   

n.命令状，书面命令

参考例句：

• This is a copy of a writ I received this morning.这是今早我收到的书面命令副本。
• You shouldn't treat the newspapers as if they were Holy Writ. 你不应该把报上说的话奉若神明。