Top of PageGun Policy News, 9 February 2011
Swiss Gun Culture, Assault Weapons at Home Under Fire in Referendum
9 February 2011
Associated Press
BUEREN AN DER AARE, Switzerland — The neutral Swiss do love their guns and their frequent, citizen-inspired referendums. Those two deeply cherished rights collide this weekend as Swiss voters decide whether to impose far-reaching restrictions on firearms.
The nationwide vote Sunday pits critics of Switzerland's high rate of firearms suicides against those who fear tighter rules may hurt the country's beloved village shooting clubs or cripple its citizen... (GunPolicy.org)
White House Declares US-Mexico Gun Smuggling Flow 'Not an Emergency'
9 February 2011
New York Times, Editorial
We applauded back in December when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced that it was seeking an emergency rule requiring gun dealers near the Mexican border to report multiple purchases of high-power semiautomatic rifles that use a detachable magazine. It looked as if the Obama administration was finally awakening to the urgent need to combat the illegal trafficking of AK-47s and other assault weapons across the border and into the hands of... (GunPolicy.org)
British Police Forces Drop Gun Owner Home Re-visits, Storage Inspections
9 February 2011
Independent (UK)
Police chiefs today defended cost-cutting plans which could see changes to the way checks are carried out on gun owners.
At least three forces aim to abandon automatic home checks when gun owners apply to renew firearms licences.
Police in Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire say ending blanket home visits would save money and time but would not "impact on public safety".
Essex Police said they planned to write to gun owners to check that circumstances had not... (GunPolicy.org)
White House Won't Abandon US-Mexico Gun Smuggling Curbs, Says ATF
9 February 2011
Reuters
The White House is pressing ahead with rules meant to slow the flow of weapons to Mexico, a high-ranking U.S. official said on Wednesday, despite fears among gun control advocates that the Obama administration may be backing away from the plan.
In an attempt to curb gun running to Mexico, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in December it would tighten reporting requirements for dealers in several southwest states on sales of multiple... (GunPolicy.org)
White House Delays Prevention of US-Mexico Assault Weapon Smuggling
9 February 2011
Associated Press
The White House says tracking the bulk sale of high-powered rifles from border states gunshops which legally sell thousands of assault weapons that end up in Mexico each year is not an emergency, and has rejected a request from the U.S. agency that monitors weapons sales to do so without public review.
Instead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' proposed requirement that firearms dealers near the Mexican border to report multiple purchases of... (GunPolicy.org)
Tennessee Grand Jury Charges UK Gun Lobby Figure with Arms Trafficking
9 February 2011
Tennessean (Nashville)
A federal grand jury charged Nashville-based gun manufacturer and U.S. military supplier Sabre Defence Industries and five company officers with illegal international arms trafficking.
Sabre owner Guy Savage, a United Kingdom citizen, and Middle Tennessee residents President Charles Shearon, Chief Financial Officer Elmer Hill, Director of Sales Michael Curlett and International Purchasing Manager Arnold See Jr., are the individuals charged.
They also face charges of... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA to Take On 'Knuckleheads' Trying to Quiet Massachusetts Gun Range
9 February 2011
Republican (Massachusetts)
WILLIAMSBURG - An owner of a local firing range Tuesday called a Zoning Board of appeals decision to restrict the use of his range "idiocy."
Robert C. Hodgkins III, one of the owners, said that he disagrees with the board's ruling and plans to get the National Rifle Association involved in the issue.
"Let the NRA take care of these knuckleheads," he said. "I think it's about time."
After hearing from the public last week, the board voted Monday to limit activity at... (GunPolicy.org)
Threatening, Aggressive German Gun Collector Found with 362 Weapons
9 February 2011
Agence France Presse
German police were stunned on Wednesday to find an arsenal of 362 weapons at the house of an 83-year-old man, including rifles and machine guns as well as armour-piercing bullets.
Authorities raided the man's house in Beckingen in western Germany after he had "become increasingly threatening and aggressive to people around him," police said in a statement.
"The raid team was pretty astonished," it added.
They discovered 35 rifles, 77 handguns, a G3 assault rifle and... (GunPolicy.org)
Mali: Former Tuareg Rebels Threaten to Take up Arms
9 February 2011
El Watan
Mali: Les anciens rebelles touareg menacent de reprendre les armes
Les anciens rebelles touareg du Nord-Mali, à leur tête Brahim Ag Bahanga, menacent Bamako de reprendre les armes dans les prochaines semaines l Ils exigent une prise en charge rapide des engagements pris en novembre 2010 et mettent en garde contre la dégradation de la situation dans les régions de Gao, Kidal et Tombouctou.
Mais depuis plusieurs mois, l'association locale récupère, en échange de... (GunPolicy.org)
