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Mexico Gangs Prefer Guns from the 80s-90s as They Are Harder to Trace
31 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
According to Mexico's Defense Department, criminal organizations are equipping themselves with firearms that are between 20 and 30 years old. The government says this casts doubt on the claim that the gangs are better armed than the security forces.
The Mexican Army seized over 130,000 firearms since 2006, the majority of which were fabricated in the 1980s and 1990s, Excelsior reports. These include makeshift weapons that were modified or repaired using old parts from... (GunPolicy.org)
China,United States,Ghana,Nigeria
Nigerian Civilians Hold 2 Million Guns, Security Forces 600,000
30 January 2012
Nation (Nigeria)
Members of the dreaded insurgent group, Boko Haram, armed robbers and hired assassins have done great havoc with guns acquired illegally. Where are they coming from? OLUKAYODE THOMAS and JOKE KUJENYA examine the sources of illegal arms into the country.
The ruins are still visible on the police zonal headquatres in Kano. The offices of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) testify to the Boko Haram bombing and armed assaults of... (GunPolicy.org)
In Wake of Botched Gun Trafficking Probe, US Reveals New Sting Rules
27 January 2012
Chicago Tribune / Reuters
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Friday revealed new reforms undertaken to improve how it conducts undercover gun trafficking investigations in the wake of a botched operation in which scores of weapons disappeared.
The reforms require additional oversight of undercover operations, including those that involve more than 50 firearms, and, in most cases, ends the practice of paying gun dealers to serve as confidential informants.
Additionally, a new review... (GunPolicy.org)
Thailand's Lethal Fascination with Firearms [Espanol]
18 January 2012
ABC News (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: According to data from the United Nations, firearms are used in 80% of homicides committed in Thailand, a percentage that is almost hand in hand with nations such as South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, or the United States.]
BANGKOK - La fascinación de los tailandeses por las armas de fuego, de las que hay 15 por cada 100 habitantes, hace que Tailandia sea uno de los países con un mayor promedio de homicidios cometidos por gente propensa... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Poland,Nigeria,China,United Kingdom
UK Arms Dealer Arranged to Sell 80,000 Chinese Guns to Nigeria - Court
10 January 2012
BBC News
A British-based arms dealer helped organise the shipment of thousands of guns from China to Nigeria without the necessary licence, a court has heard.
Gary Hyde partly arranged and organised the shipment in 2007 of 80,000 rifles and pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition.
Southwark Crown Court heard he did not receive permission from the relevant government department.
Mr Hyde, from Derwent near York, denies the charges.
The court was told the shipment involved... (GunPolicy.org)
Israel,Jordan,Iraq,Turkey,Syria,Lebanon
Syria Crisis Amplifies Demand for Black Market Guns in Lebanon
10 January 2012
Daily Star (Beirut)
BEIRUT - As Abu Rida reels off a list of the latest prices for weapons and ammunition on Lebanon's black market, his small audience lets out low whistles of surprise."$2,000 for an RPG?" said one man, referring to a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
"I swear to God," replied Abu Rida who has seen his profits skyrocket over the past year. "The prices are crazy. And it's all going to Syria."
Black market arms dealers like Abu Rida are struggling to cope with a soaring... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Police Ban, Seize 'Scarylooking Guns,' Registry at Death's Door
7 January 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
With the firearms registry on death's door, the RCMP are using what little time remains to reclassify and seize certain scarylooking guns from Canadian firearms owners.
Among the guns being seized is a small-calibre varmint rifle called the Armi Jager AP80. Like many non-restricted rifles, it is semiautomatic and fires the .22-calibre bullet, the smallest used in any long gun.
The AP80 has been singled out because it looks too much like the infamous AK-47 assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Federal Government Bans AK-47 Look-Alike
5 January 2012
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA -- The federal government is cracking down on a small game rifle, saying it was inappropriately classified as a non-restricted weapon.
But one firearms activist argues it's an end run by federal bureaucrats related to a long-running court battle.
Owners of the Armi Jager AP80 .22-calibre rifle received a letter from the RCMP in December saying the registration certificates for the firearm would be revoked and they had a month to dispose of their weapons - with... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Europe,United States,Thailand
Firearms Only for the Rich: Bangkok Guns 'Like a Louis Vuitton for Guys'
2 January 2012
CNN
If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.
Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Mass Shooting: 'Convicted Gun Fanatic' Kills 6, Wounds Dozens
14 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
A convicted gun fanatic threw hand grenades and opened fire on a square bustling with Christmas shoppers in the centre of the Belgian city of Liège, killing at least six people, including himself, and wounding at least 122, some critically.
Hours after failing to show up for police questions about his preoccupation with guns, the 33-year-old unleashed a lunchtime attack on Place Saint Lambert, which was hosting a Christmas market that attracts 1.5 million visitors a... (GunPolicy.org)
In a Year, NYC Police Fire 20% of Bullets Fired in Hours by Kenya Police
4 December 2011
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
Consider this and think of the situation in Kenya as you read on: Last year, 52 officers out of a force of 34,565 officers from the New York Police Department intentionally fired 236 bullets during confrontations with suspects.
The officers reportedly shot and killed only eight people and injured 16 the whole year, in what the Police Department say marked record lows.
Of course the social and economic realities of Nairobi and New York are totally different but there... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Nuts Need Fear, Conspiracies, Obama to Hate, Flourish, Raise Money
1 December 2011
New York Times, Opinion
PHOENIX — When it became clear in the early fall of 2008 that Barack Obama, son of a Kansan and a Kenyan, would be the 44th President of the United States, many citizens rushed to their gun shops, stocked up on ammo and camo, and tried to fortify their nests with all manner of lethal weapons.
Though he had said nothing about gun control in the campaign, Obama, to a certain kind of person, appeared to be a grave threat to the Second Amendment. He was urban —... (GunPolicy.org)
Congo (DRC),Africa,Kenya,United States
High-price US Fashion Jewellery Made from AK-47s Funds Gun Destruction
30 November 2011
New York Times
When Cara Buono arrived at the Emmy Awards in September, nominated as best guest actress in a drama series for her role as Dr. Faye Miller in "Mad Men," she wore a $150,000 political statement in her lobes. "These earrings," she said, "are made from AK-47 gun metal."
Ms. Buono's husband, Peter Thum, is a founder, with John Zapolski, of Fonderie 47, an organization that converts what is perhaps the most widely distributed assault rifle into jewelry.
On a visit to Kenya... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Makes Biggest-Ever Seizure of Smuggled Guns, Source Unknown
29 November 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Federal authorities confiscated 911 guns from a container ship in the port of Lazaro Cardenas, on Mexico's Pacific, which was headed to Nicaragua.
The guns were found on board a cargo ship en route to Nicaragua, during a planned stop at the Michoacan port of Lazaro Cardenas. The ship is believed to be of Turkish origin, but no information was provided on the origin or destination of the weapons.
The operation was carried out by Mexico's Navy, working with the Federal... (GunPolicy.org)
3% of 3,500 Guns Seized in France Are Automatic Assault Rifles [Francais]
29 November 2011
Europe 1
[Translated Summary: French police seized 3,500 weapons since the beginning of the year, 3% of which were automatic rifles. In Eastern Europe, an AK-47 costs some hundred Euros, but once in France, it costs around 2,000 to 3,000 Euros.]
Decryptage - Les armes automatiques circulent illégalement. D'où viennent-elles, qui les utilisent ?
Deux fusillades meurtrières en moins de 24 heures à Marseille. Et par deux fois, les malfaiteurs ont tiré à l'arme de guerre, en... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Border Town a Hotspot for US-Mexico Ammunition Smugglers
22 November 2011
KVUE.com (Texas)
EAGLE PASS, Texas – The small border town Eagle Pass has become a big corridor for ammunition smugglers who supply violent drug cartels.
In November, there was a large spike in smuggling activity.
"Just this month alone there have been three separate seizures totaling 700 magazines for AK-47 rifles," said Randy Clark, Patrol Agent in Charge for the U.S. Border Patrol station in Eagle Pass.
On Nov. 3, Border Patrol agents seized three black duffle bags near the Rio... (GunPolicy.org)
China Delivers 20,000 Assault Rifles to Zimbabwe Ahead of Election
14 November 2011
Defence Web (South Africa)
Zimbabwe has taken delivery of 20 000 AK-47 assault rifles from China as the country re-equips its army ahead of upcoming elections.
The Southern Africa Report, which focuses on political and economic intelligence issues in Africa, reports that the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF) has taken delivery of "the first of several consignments of Chinese small arms and equipment," including AK-47 assault rifles, uniforms, a dozen trucks and 21 000 pairs of handcuffs.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Destroyed in Australian Gun Buybacks Now Replaced with Imports
13 November 2011
ABC Radio National - Background Briefing, Transcript
Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.
Ian Townsend: There may be more guns in Australia today than there have ever been. In the past 16 months in Queensland alone, nearly 50,000 guns—such... (GunPolicy.org)
3,000 Weapons Bought in Gun Buyback 'Disappear' from Honduran Police
10 November 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
El Heraldo newspaper is questioning the Honduran authorities about the disappearance of thousands of guns from government warehouses, amid fears they may have ended up on the black market.
El Heraldo is investigating the whereabouts of approximately 3,000 guns collected during President Maduro's administration, between the years 2002 and 2006. Maduro implemented a temporary gun buyback program, in which weapons could be surrendered to police in exchange for 1,000... (GunPolicy.org)
US Defends Gun Sale Reporting Requirement in Court
26 October 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Gun store owners in southwestern border states argued in federal court Tuesday that the Obama administration cannot require them to report when customers buy multiple high-powered rifles.
The Justice Department responded to a lawsuit seeking to block the two-month-old requirement by asking a judge to uphold its legality, arguing the measure could help stop the flow of guns to Mexican drug cartels. It requires sellers in California, Arizona, New Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Demand Growing in Canada for High-Tech Guns Popularised in Games, Movies
26 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Whether it's computers, cars, motorbikes or guns, 28-year-old Greg MacDonald — a self-confessed "tech nerd" — is always looking for the latest and greatest technology.
A Newfoundlander and lover of fine machinery, MacDonald says the rigorous research and development that goes into modern military-grade firearms — known as "black rifles" within shooter circles — is a sort of poetry in motion.
"When I see a firearm, I see engineering, mathematics and physics,"... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Four People, Owned by 6 Per Cent of Canadians
24 October 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The Canadian public loves its guns, and has a sizable arsenal to prove it.
According to the Canadian Firearms Centre, there are more than 7.6 million registered firearms in Canada, about one gun for every four Canadians.
More than 1.8 million Canadians - about six per cent of the population - have valid gun licences, with the largest concentrations in Atlantic Canada and the North.
The Yukon stacks up as the most gun-loving area of the country, with more than 84 guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Groups Want Some Guns Banned Before Registry Is Scrapped
23 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
After finishing a rotation through Afghanistan with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 22-year-old Dan Styles is back in Canada, safe and sound with his young family.
When he's not caring for his one-year-old baby daughter, Styles now spends a lot of his personal time at the shooting range near his home at CFB Petawawa, in eastern Ontario. There, he hones the skills he relied on in the field.
"It's practice, practice, practice," he says. "The better you get at it,... (GunPolicy.org)
Airguns Allowed into Canada Easily Converted into Real AK-47, Police Say
20 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The RCMP are racing to track down and seize hundreds of replica AK-47 BB guns imported from China that investigators fear can be easily reconfigured into deadly prohibited weapons.
The Mounties launched raids and seizures last week on a number of gun stores in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec. Investigators believe the toys — assembled with authentic parts from the Chinese Type-56 version of the AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle — can be transformed into weapons with a... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty in Daloa, Ivory Coast: 31 Small Arms Collected [Francais]
14 October 2011
Abidjan Net (Côte d'Ivoire)
[Translated summary: The Ivory Coast Commission for the Fight Against the Proliferation and Illicit Circulation of Small Arms and Light Weapons has launched a disarmament campaign in Daloa. So far, 31 arms (including weapons of war, submachine guns, AK-47, and hand-made rifles) and 639 ammunition were collected.]
La Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération et la circulation illicite des armes légères et de petits calibres en Côte d'Ivoire (ComNat-CI)... (GunPolicy.org)
Permits to Carry Guns Are Non-Transferable, Say Philippine Police
14 October 2011
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome has revoked the firearms permit of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas, who surrendered his AK-47 rifle to the police yesterday.
Bartolome ordered the revocation of Llamas' permit to carry firearms outside residence (PTCFOR), effectively preventing the official from further possession of the rifle.
Llamas, for his part, personally turned over the rifle to Quezon... (GunPolicy.org)
Only UN Can Offer Sustainable Disarmament of Civilians in South Sudan
12 October 2011
Sudan Tribune (France), Opinion
It's commendable that the government of South Sudan took upon itself the bold initiative ever to address the widespread insecurity in the country through an enforced nationwide disarmament campaign. However, six and a half years in the row the much applauded campaign has paradoxically come to stand as a testimony of the failures after failures incurred under the leadership of this system that never learns from its mistakes.
Firearms make their ways from the... (GunPolicy.org)
Only 2 Guns Should be Allowed, Says Former Chief of Philippines Army
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon called on Tuesday for stricter gun control law after authorities learned that Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas acquired five high-powered firearms to protect himself from death threats.
Biazon, a former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that an individual should only be allowed one short and one long firearm at the most to defend his life.
"You have only two hands anyway so why the... (GunPolicy.org)
Japan,United States,Philippines
Philippines Needs Stricter Gun Control Laws - Opinion
11 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
Joke only: A Llama is a handgun.
But a Llamas is an AK-47.
* * *
Because of the AK-47 found in the vehicle of Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas when it figured in an accident on Edsa (Llamas was away in Switzerland), the talk at the Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel last Monday centered on guns in the hands of civilians.
And the guests were all well qualified to talk about guns: brand-new PNP chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome,... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled US Ammunition Feeds Mexico's Ongoing Drug Gun Wars
9 October 2011
USA Today
PHOENIX - Every year, thousands of guns are smuggled into Mexico from the United States, fueling the brutal drug-cartel wars and stirring outrage on both sides of the border.
But often overlooked in the controversy are the tons of bullets that also make their way south of the border.
In Mexico, ammunition is strictly regulated and possession of even a single illegal round can lead to prison. But there is nonetheless a steady supply of bullets. Almost all of it comes... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Who Killed 4 and Himself in US Used Illegally Altered AK-47
5 October 2011
Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada)
CARSON CITY - The gunman who killed four people and then himself at a restaurant on Sept. 6 used a Chinese-made version of an AK-47 assault rifle altered into an illegal automatic weapon, the Carson City sheriff's office said Wednesday.
Sheriff Ken Furlong said his deputies and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were continuing to investigate how the weapon and others ended up in the hands of Eduardo Sencion.
Sencion, 32, of Carson City, fired 60... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Trapped After UK Police Set Up Fake Shop in Manchester
4 October 2011
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A gun dealer was trapped after police set up a fake shop selling combat clothing.
Undercover cops posed as shop workers who were looking for lethal weapons in the elaborate sting.
The store was set up after police became concerned at the number of firearms on the streets of Manchester.
After weeks at the store on Princess Road, Moss Side, a gang member customer introduced the plain clothes officers to Marc Billingham, who supplied them with two working guns, an air... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Easily Available and Increasingly Used Against Women in Pakistan
30 September 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
PESHAWAR - Guns available in new abundance in the troubled north of Pakistan are increasingly being used on women in 'honour' killings and domestic disputes, according to local reports.
"About 65 percent of the women killed fall prey to gunfire in honour-related cases and issues relating to domestic violence," local security analyst Brigadier (retired) Muhammad Saad told IPS.
Citing a study by the local Awaz Foundation, he said the problem has been caused by easy... (GunPolicy.org)
'Everyone in Tripoli Has at Least One Gun' [Francais]
28 September 2011
Au Fait (Morocco) / AFP
[Translated summary: 'Everyone in Tripoli has at least one gun'; Teenagers brandish AK-47 to armed combatants; An AK-47 now costs $650. The proliferation of weapons in Libya worries the new authorities and the international community.]
Des adolescents brandissant des kalachnikovs dans les rues de Tripoli aux combattants armés de lance-roquettes sur le front, les armes sont partout en Libye et mettent en péril l'assise des nouvelles autorités. Hors de Libye,... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 2,000 Firearms Collected in Lakes State, South Sudan
23 September 2011
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) division six commander in charge of disarmament in Lakes and Unity states, Marial Chanuong Yol, told press that disarmament is moving ahead peacefully.
Yol said that 2,201 firearms have been collected in Lakes state since the disarmament campaign began on 7 September and the "surrendering of arms is still going on."
Lakes state has suffered cattle raids, robbery and inter-clan disputes as well inter-state conflict... (GunPolicy.org)
Unusual Prizes for Children in Somalia: Fully-automatic Assault Rifles
20 September 2011
New York Times
NAIROBI, Kenya — A typical prize for a children's contest might be a backpack, a lunchbox or some toys.
Not in Somalia.
Over the weekend, a Somali radio station run by the Shabab, the most powerful Islamist militant group in the war-ravaged country, held an awards ceremony to honor children who were experts at Shabab trivia and at reciting the Koran. The prizes? Fully-automatic assault rifles and live hand grenades.
The contest itself was held during Ramadan, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Still Waiting for Answers on US Gun-running Programme
19 September 2011
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Mexico City and Washington— Last fall's slaying of Mario Gonzalez, the brother of a Mexican state prosecutor, shocked people on both sides of the border. Sensational news reports revealed that cartel hit men had tortured Gonzalez, and forced him to make a videotaped "confession" that his high-powered sister was on the take.
But American authorities concealed one disturbing fact about the case from their Mexican counterparts: U.S. federal agents had... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad: 'For Such a Small Country, a Large Number of Illegal Guns'
12 September 2011
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Nine more guns including a high-powered AK 47 assault rifle, have been recovered by the police within the past three days in various exercises in North, Central and West Trinidad from Friday to yesterday. This brings to 88 the number of guns seized since the start of the State of Emergency (SOE) on August 22.
A nitrogen cannister believed to be used in the manufacturing of silencers for firearms was also recovered and seized. A silencer is a component of a firearm used... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'Gun Murder Capital of World' as 6 Shot Dead in West Virginia
8 September 2011
Charleston Gazette (West Virginia), Editorial
CHARLESTON, West Virginia - A troubled young Morgantown man, barely beyond teen age, used two rifles and a pistol in a stunning murder rampage Tuesday. After writing weirdo notes on Facebook, he killed five at a farmhouse near Morgantown, then wounded a service station worker in Roane County, then killed himself in Kentucky.
His bloodbath was just one of several gun killings in Wednesday's news. On the same day, a pistol-carrier pleaded self-defense after gunning down... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Gun Owner Takes Cover as Nevada Killer Shoots 10 with AK-47
6 September 2011
New York Times
LOS ANGELES — A man armed with an AK-47 assault rifle opened fire Tuesday morning on a group of uniformed National Guard members as they ate breakfast at an IHOP restaurant in Carson City, Nev. He hit all five Guard members, killing three of them, and killed another woman and wounded five other people before taking his own life.
The gunman, identified by the police as Eduardo Sencion, 32, began his five-minute shooting rampage around 9 a.m. as people flocked to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Arrests US Man Accused of Smuggling Arm Parts for Cartels
6 September 2011
Washington Post / AP
PHOENIX — Police have arrested an American man who allegedly smuggled parts for as many as 2,000 grenades into Mexico for drug cartels, more than a year after he was released by U.S. agents who stopped him at the Arizona-Mexico border for having more than a hundred grenade parts.
While a Department of Justice official said the case will be added to the investigation of Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Macedonia,Kuwait,Iraq,Philippines,Jordan,Turkey,United States,Libya
Celebratory Shooting Injuries: How Dangerous is Firing a Gun Into the Air?
22 August 2011
BBC News
Libyan rebels have celebrated their advance into Tripoli by firing guns in the air. How hazardous is this?
It is, unarguably, an emphatic way to display one's jubilation.
Shooting an automatic weapon into the sky to signal an occasion one welcomes is a popular practice in much of the world, as the footage of Libyan anti-Gaddafi forces seizing the main square of the capital city has demonstrated.
But it is a potentially fatal activity, which regularly results in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Melbourne Police Raid 21 Licensed Gun Owners, Seize 21 Firearms
21 August 2011
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Police have vowed to "dry up the supply" of guns and ammunition in the northwestern suburbs after the past week's triple shooting that left two men dead and another in hospital.
Raids yesterday morning by detectives working in Taskforce Acer 17 netted firearms police feared could be passed to criminals.
The weapons were held legally by registered gun owners, but police intelligence revealed 20 had "connections to family or associates who were persons of interest to... (GunPolicy.org)
Kyrgyzstan,Czech Republic,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Central Asia,Russia,Uzbekistan,China,Kazakhstan,European Union,United States,Colombia,Iran
Smuggling of Small Arms in Central Asia Is Endemic - British Expert
2 August 2011
Journal of Turkish Weekly (Turkey), Transcript
British intelligence analyst and journalist Richard M. Bennett says the Fergana Valley is extremely vulnerable to the covert smuggling of arms and drugs, despite the official reports of Central Asian governments denying its highlighted status. Mr. Bennett told JTW that Russia has been responsible for an overwhelming amount of illegal arms circulating in ex-Soviet Central Asia. In his view, Russia's military intelligence (GRU) is the mastermind of major trafficking... (GunPolicy.org)
For Mexicans, US Gun Industry Plays a Role in Mexico's Drug Violence
31 July 2011
McClatchy Newspapers (USA)
MEXICO CITY -- While a gunrunning sting known as Fast and Furious draws criticism in Congress for losing track of weapons that were smuggled into Mexico, Mexicans say the controversy confirms their conviction that the U.S. gun industry profits off of bloodshed south of the border.
As new details of the U.S. undercover operation emerged last week in congressional hearings in Washington, many Mexicans said the scandal demonstrates how easily crime gangs obtain large... (GunPolicy.org)
Inside the Controversial US-Mexico Gun Trafficking Investigation
30 July 2011
Associated Press
PHOENIX -- Ten days before Christmas, ATF agent John Dodson awoke, got his morning coffee, switched on the TV news – and heard the words he had dreaded every day of every month he had been a member of the gun-trafficking investigative team called the Group VII Strike Force.
A Border Patrol agent had been shot dead in a gun battle with suspected bandits. The agent was 40, only months older than Dodson himself, another ex-military man who chose to serve his country by... (GunPolicy.org)
Sri Lanka,Sudan,Malawi,Zambia,Mozambique,Macedonia,Liberia,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Africa,South Africa
Africa: Analysis: How Best to Remove Guns from Post-conflict Zones?
28 July 2011
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG - Cash for guns or buy-back programmes in post-conflict states have fallen out of favour as a method of ridding a society of weapons, and have been replaced by often elaborate schemes designed to remove money from the equation, but the debate continues as to the best way forward.
The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) community has grappled for years with buy-back practices and acknowledges they can have a profound effect on the nature of... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Trafficking: The Embarrassing US-Mexico Operation [Francais]
26 July 2011
Radio Canada
[Translated summary: The investigation carried out into the US Operation against firearms trafficking between US and Mexico is embarrassing for Washington.]
La Chambre des représentants enquête sur une opération du gouvernement américain contre le trafic d'armes entre les États-Unis et le Mexique, qui est en train de plonger Washington dans l'embarras.
Lancée en 2009 par des agents du Bureau de l'alcool, du tabac et des armes à feu (ATF), à Phoenix,... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway Mass Killer Tried Smuggling, Then Bought His Guns Legally Instead
24 July 2011
Financial Times (UK)
The Nordic countries' hunting traditions mean that there is a high rate of gun ownership in Norway, where locals – and tourists - often go out to the woods to hunt wild reindeer, moose, deer, hare and grouse.
About 439,000 Norwegians are recognised by the Norwegian Register of Hunters, or about one in every 10 citizens. However, most have licences for bolt-action rifles and shotguns, with a smattering of semi-automatic weapons, and ownership of heavier weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica,Panama,El Salvador,Nicaragua,Colombia,Central America,United States,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala
Most Guns Seized in Guatemala 'Come From Honduras' [Espanol]
19 July 2011
La Prensa (Honduras), Editorial
[Translated summary: Most guns seized in Guatemala come from Honduras, claims Public Ministry. Assault rifles, hand grenades, semi-automatic weapons, large caliber rifles as unconventional Barrett .50 caliber and AK-47, were part of the weaponry confiscated from the Zetas (dug cartel) operating in Central America.]
Fusiles de asalto, armas automáticas y granadas buscan los criminales mexicanos en países centroamericanos para continuar la guerra que libran con la... (GunPolicy.org)
650,000 Illegal Guns Circulating in Honduras [Espanol]
17 July 2011
El Heraldo (Honduras), Editorial
[Translated summary: Honduras seems to be turning into a battlefield. Some 800,000 weapons are between being registered and not registered; 650,000 are circulating illegaly in the country; 19,640 gun deaths between 2005 and 2010. In its latest study, the National Commission for Human Rights urged the Legislative Power to reform the Firearms Act.]
En Honduras hay unas 800,000 armas entre registradas y no registradas.
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - Honduras entera pareciera... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Adm. Took Significant Step for Gun Control at Mexican Border
17 July 2011
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
The Obama administration took a concrete step toward curbing the flow of semiautomatic weapons to Mexico last week when it adopted a new regulation mandating the reporting of multiple sales of long guns to federal authorities.
Under the regulation, some 8,500 licensed gun shops in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas will be required to inform the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a customer buys more than one semiautomatic that is .22... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Cripples US Agency in Charge of Tracking Down Illegal Guns
27 June 2011
Washington Post, Editorial
The gun rights lobby has spent considerable time and energy in pursuit of one goal: crippling the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It has largely succeeded — and with dire consequences.
Concerned to the point of paranoia about the erosion of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, the National Rifle Association and far too many lawmakers have fought against virtually every proposal to empower the bureau to better track and crack down... (GunPolicy.org)
West African States Agree on Gun Law Harmonization Guide [Francais]
24 June 2011
Republic of Togo, Media release
[Translated summary: Government experts from ECOWAS Member countries came to an agreement last Thursday on the "Harmonization Guide of National Legislations on Small Arms and Light Weapons in West Africa" (SALW)].
Les Experts gouvernementaux des pays membres de la Cédéao sont parvenus jeudi à Lomé à se mettre d'accord sur un «Guide d'harmonisation des législations nationales sur les armes légères et de petit calibre en Afrique de l'Ouest (ALPC) ».
La... (GunPolicy.org)
With Gun-running Scandal, Now's the Time to Target US Gun Control
24 June 2011
Guardian (UK)
When Republican chairman of the House oversight and government reform committee, Representative Darrel Issa, called for the resignation of ATF acting director Kenneth Melson, few in American political circles found it controversial. Melson, after all, was responsible for overseeing the ATF's botched gun-tracking operations that led to the trafficking of thousands of weapons into Mexico and countless consequent deaths – including that of US customs agent Brian... (GunPolicy.org)
Badly Flawed US Background Check System Fails to Contain Gun Sales
23 June 2011
Center for Public Integrity / iWatch News (USA)
Like many states, Maine depends on the FBI to conduct background checks of people who want to acquire firearms from the state's federally licensed gun dealers.
And like many states, Maine is a slacker in supplying the records that the FBI depends on to run those checks.
That's how Raymond Geisel got his guns, including a Glock Model 17 pistol and a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 assault rifle. Geisel had previously been committed to a psychiatric hospital in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun-running Program Flaw Relies on Great Number of Mexican Deaths
22 June 2011
National Post (Toronto), Opinion
These are not halcyon days for the unique American combination of extreme drug prohibition and extreme firearms permissiveness. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is enduring its biggest scandal since Waco over an anti-drug operation very inappropriately titled "Fast and Furious." In a nutshell, ATF agents watched carefully as people in Arizona bought massive quantities of legal weapons (notably AK-47 assault rifles), knowing they'd be smuggled across the... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Pakistan,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas
Small Arms Cause 60-90 Per Cent Deaths Each Year in Pakistan
19 June 2011
Nation (Pakistan)
ISLAMABAD - Small arms are the reason for 60 to 90 per cent deaths due to direct conflicts that occur each year.
Approximately 90,000 people were killed every year while 1.5 million people were injured every year. Ismat Ullah Khan, Project Officer of SPADO, an NGO, supporting implementation of UN programme of action and de-weaponisation, said this during a press conference here on Saturday.
He said there is trade of small arms worth $ 10 billion in black market per... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberian Police Found a Huge Cache of Arms in Region Bordering Ivory Coast
16 June 2011
Washington Post / AP
MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia's national police said Thursday it had unearthed a huge cache of arms in a region of the country straddling the border with neighboring Ivory Coast.
The area in Grand Gedeh County where the arms were found is one of the places where mercenaries and militias employed by Ivory Coast's deposed ruler fled after he was toppled on April 11.
A police statement said authorities had uncovered 1,439 AK-47 rounds, over 70 AK-47 magazines, 67 AK-47... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Police Parade 48 Suspected Armed Robbers, Seize 10 AK-47s
16 June 2011
Vanguard (Lagos)
BENIN — The Edo State Security Service, SSS, and the State Police Command, Tuesday, paraded 48 suspected armed robbers and kidnappers, recovering N7.7million and cache of ammunitions with them.
Among the suspected kidnappers paraded were persons alleged to be involved in the abduction of the father-in-law to the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Chief Felix Okungbowa. Also, some of the arrested armed robbers included the gang that carted away N7.7million after they... (GunPolicy.org)
Lethal Fallout from Botched US Sting: Gun Trafficking Scandal Exposed
16 June 2011
Independent (UK)
The lethal fallout from a botched operation by the US Department of Justice which allowed almost 2,000 illegally purchased firearms to be transported from the streets of Arizona to drug gangs in Mexico has been laid bare in a scathing Congressional report, which concludes that it resulted in countless deaths.
A mixture of arrogance, over-confidence, and staggering ineptitude by the Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF] was outlined in a... (GunPolicy.org)
US Justice Dept. Accused of 'Reckless Technique' in Gun Trafficking Scandal
14 June 2011
New York Times
WASHINGTON — In a report issued Tuesday by two powerful Republicans in Congress, the Justice Department was accused of conducting an operation that allowed nearly 1,000 guns to flow illegally into Mexico, including two that were eventually found at the scene of the murder of an American Border Patrol agent.
The report, by Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Representative Darrell Issa of California, said the 2009 operation in Arizona by the Bureau of Alcohol,... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda,East Africa,Somalia,Ethiopia,Sudan,Kenya
East Africa: Put Down Your Gun, Pick Up Your Baton and Run for Peace
12 June 2011
East African (Nairobi)
As she posed for a picture with cattle rustlers long used to treating guns as toys, East African Community Deputy Secretary General for Political Federation Beatrice Kiraso made a provocative statement.
"The richest people in the world are not cattle keepers but industrialised nations," she told an audience of mainly cattle keeping communities during the 8th edition of the Moroto Peace Race recently.
You don't tell that to a community that lives and dies for cattle.... (GunPolicy.org)
Congress Starting First Hearings on US-Mexico Gun Trafficking Scandal
10 June 2011
CBS News (USA)
Congress holds its first hearings Monday on the "gunwalker scandal" that CBS News first uncovered back in February.
Officials at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) encouraged gun shops to sell thousands of assault rifles and other weapons destined for Mexican drug cartels.
On "The Early Show" Friday, CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reported those who defend the strategy say their goal was to let the little fish go -- to get... (GunPolicy.org)
California Tough Gun Control Laws Cut Flow to Mexico
29 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle
California's tough gun-control laws are targeted at armed criminals in general and mass-shooters in particular. But they appear to have had the unintended consequence of making California gun stores unattractive to purchasers buying weapons for the Mexican drug cartels.
A Hearst Newspapers survey of guns purchased in the United States and funneled to Mexican drug traffickers found that out of 1,600 guns identified by brand name and purchase point in court documents, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Weapons Lawfully Bought in US End Up in the Hands of Mexican Cartels
28 May 2011
Deseret News (Utah)
WASHINGTON — Convicted gun smuggler John Phillip Hernandez of Houston was likely not the kind of customer that Bushmaster Firearms International had in mind when he purchased 14 of the company's .223 caliber AR-15s at Houston area gun shops in 2006 and 2007.
Bushmaster describes the AR-15 rifle, a civilian version of the U.S. military's standard-issue M-16, as intended "for law enforcement, security and private consumer use." But the weapons that Hernandez and his... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Booming Gun Markets Offer Hundreds of Rapid-Firing Military Guns
26 May 2011
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
Hundreds of the weapons advertised on KSL.com classifieds are rapid-firing military weapons with pedigrees from around the world.
The proliferation of these weapons, based on military designs, including the ubiquitous AK-47 by Mikhail Kalashnikov, have become wildly popular among shooting enthusiasts. And that popularity is a grave concern to gun-control activists.
"I don't know how anyone can justify having one of those weapons," says Steven Gunn, a spokesman for the... (GunPolicy.org)
The Future of Terrorism Belongs to Guns: 17 Deaths in US Caused by Guns
22 May 2011
New York Daily News, Opinion
When people think about terrorism, they tend to envision bombs, hostages and hijackings. But the future of terrorism increasingly belongs to the humble gun. From Frankfurt to Mumbai and beyond, terrorists are making the gun their primary weapon of choice.
Nowhere is this threat more troubling than here in the United States. In the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks, 17 Americans have been killed by reasonably clear-cut cases of homegrown Islamist terrorism. Every one of... (GunPolicy.org)
Wave of Murders/Suicides Amongst Kenyan Police Under Study
16 May 2011
Capital FM-Radio (Nairobi)
NAIROBI, Kenya - Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere has commissioned a research to establish the cause of the stress levels amongst his officers, in the wake of increased cases of policemen killing their seniors or colleagues before they commit suicide.
This follows four recent incidents where police officers have either committed suicide or killed fellow officers - mainly their seniors - in various parts of the country.
The most recent incident occurred at the... (GunPolicy.org)
Buffalo Held Its Latest Gun Buyback: Police Collected More Than 600 Firearms
15 May 2011
Buffalo News (New York)
Buffalo held its fourth gun buyback Saturday, and police collected more than 600 firearms at seven churches throughout the city.
The no-questions-asked program yielded more than 200 nonworking guns, 170 rifles, 219 handguns and even a 12-gauge "street sweeper" assault rifle.
A curious aspect of the program was that more than half the weapons were turned in at just one of the seven locations— St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in South Buffalo, considered among the... (GunPolicy.org)
As Syrian Violence is Escalating, Guns Black Market Flourishes in Lebanon
14 May 2011
al Jazeera
As the Syrian uprisings escalate in violence, Lebanon's black market in arms is flourishing, with prices of light and medium weapons driven higher by Lebanese and Syrian demand.
"Prices have tripled in less than two months," says Wael, a local arms dealer, whose name has been changed to protect his identity.
According to local dealers, Syrians have been crossing the borders into neighbouring Lebanon to purchase weapons since late January, when the country erupted with... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican President Blames Violence on End of US Assault Weapons Ban
11 May 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Mexican President Felipe Calderon said drug-related violence is being fueled by illegal imports of U.S. guns that have surged since a ban on assault weapons ended in 2004.
"The violence in Mexico started when the assault weapons ban expired," Calderon, 48, said today in an interview on the "Charlie Rose" program airing on PBS and Bloomberg Television.
Authorities have seized more than 100,000 weapons in the past four years, 85 percent of which came from the U.S.,... (GunPolicy.org)
Attorney General Grilled on US Assault Rifle Sales to Mexican Drug Cartels
3 May 2011
Daily Caller (Washington DC)
Rep. Darrell Issa, the California Republican who chairs the House Oversight Committee, was able to question Attorney General Eric Holder for the first time over the Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious scandal during a Tuesday morning hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. The scandal involves a sting operation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in which American guns – including AK-47 assault rifles and military-grade,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Promising 'Acres of Guns' to All: Including Future Criminals
1 May 2011
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh), Opinion
The National Rifle Association has been holding its annual meeting in Pittsburgh for the past few days, heralded with billboards promising "acres of guns and gear."
Here's a billboard you didn't see, but would have if the group was honest about its mission to paint even the most sensible gun laws as a step toward tyranny: "The NRA: Because if Richard Poplawski can't have an arsenal, neither can you."
Mr. Poplawski, of course, was one of those "law-abiding" citizens... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Dealer Boasts He can't Keep Up with Demand in Lebanon
22 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Beiruti arms dealer Abu Jihad is more than an hour late to our pre-arranged meeting.
"I'm very sorry for the delay," says the balding father of four when he finally appears. "On the way here I made an unexpected sale. Two M16s."
Wearing green camouflage pants and a black parka, Abu Jihad sits down and reaches for the Smith & Wesson revolver strapped to his ankle. "I normally carry three weapons," he says, emptying the revolver of its bullets and spinning the... (GunPolicy.org)
Surge of Firearm Violence Puts Oregon City, State Gun Laws in Crosshairs
31 March 2011
Portland Tribune (Oregon)
The day after four people were wounded in a suspected Northeast Portland gang-related shooting, gun-control advocates rallied at City Hall.
Speakers at the March 21 event included Mayor Sam Adams, religious leaders and relatives of people killed by guns. They spoke passionately about the emotional and societal toll of shootings, including suicides.
"It is too easy for people to get guns. We're not safe as citizens," said Teressa Railford, whose nephew, Andre Payton,... (GunPolicy.org)
US City Officials Used Police Car to Buy, Smuggle 200 Guns Into Mexico
27 March 2011
National Public Radio (USA)
Earlier this month, federal agents busted a suspected gunrunning ring that allegedly includes the mayor, police chief and a city councilman of Columbus, N.M. The government alleges the officials used the power and privileges of office to buy weapons destined for a Mexican drug cartel.
Up until now, the most notorious crime in the history of Columbus was the infamous raid by Pancho Villa on the U.S. garrison here in 1916. That was before March 10 of this year.
Federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Turks & Caicos,Bahamas,Virgin Islands (UK)
Firearms Involved in Most Robberies, Murders in British Virgin Islands
23 March 2011
BVI Beacon (British Virgin Islands), Editorial
The recent spate of shootings and armed robberies underscores the need for the Virgin Islands to take serious measures to combat gun crime.
Within the past two weeks, one person has been shot to death and a handful of others have been shot or robbed at gunpoint. Such violence must be stopped.
In recent years, guns have become a major problem here. From 2006-2010, firearms were used in 105 of 145 robberies and 14 of 20 murders, according to police... (GunPolicy.org)
How US Gun Running Armed Murderous Drug Cartels, Misfired for Mexico
18 March 2011
Guardian (UK) / Comment is Free
On 3 March, it was revealed that since 2008, the US Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has allowed thousands of weapons to enter Mexico as part of an undercover operation aimed at uncovering arms trafficking networks in the United States. The operations, dubbed "Fast and Furious", "Project Gunrunner" and "Wide Receiver", infuriated US lawmakers and led to congressional hearings only days later. Testifying before Congress, American officials gave unequivocal... (GunPolicy.org)
Rare Defeat for Gun Lobby as Florida Rejects Open Gun Carry on Campus
9 March 2011
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE — The NRA was handed a rare defeat Wednesday when Senate Republicans scrapped plans to allow some people to bring guns on college campuses.
The defeat was born of a tragic frat house shooting at Florida State University on Jan. 9. It was about 1 a.m. that day when Amy Cowie, 20, watched her twin sister die in her arms after Amy's boyfriend accidentally shot her with his AK-47-style rifle.
Amy tried CPR as blood gushed from Ashley's chest, but couldn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Professors Scared of Armed Students, Scared of Arming Students
6 March 2011
Los Angeles Times
AUSTIN, Texas - Konrad Sliwowski stood in the shadow of the University of Texas clock tower surrounded by the lunchtime clamor: the student election volunteers in handmade "Vote Big John" T-shirts, the Lego Club, and activists against human trafficking stationed near fliers advertising a screening of "Airplane!"
"I don't like guns in any kind of situation," the 22-year-old senior said recently while passing out fliers for a lecture on Rwanda. "School is already an... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico: Did Flawed US Policies Play Role in Death of Border Patrol Agent?
4 March 2011
Christian Science Monitor
ATLANTA - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is facing criticism of a program that funneled illegal guns into the hands of Mexican gun runners, drug gangs, and other criminals after two of those guns were found at the scene of the Dec. 14 shooting of US border patrol agent Brian Terry by Mexican bandits in Arizona.
Under the ATF's Operation Fast and Furious, gun smugglers were allowed to buy the weapons in the hopes the US agents could track... (GunPolicy.org)
US-Mexico Gun Running Surveillance Backfires: Fed Killed with Texas Gun
3 March 2011
Dallas Morning News (Texas), Editorial
Disturbing recent news reports suggest that federal agents knowingly let arms buyers for Mexican drug cartels smuggle high-powered weaponry across the border, with deadly consequences for U.S. law enforcers. Mexican leaders have warned for years that lax U.S. enforcement of gun smuggling was fueling border-area violence, but they should be particularly disturbed to learn that, in some cases, weapons were being deliberately allowed to flow southward.
CBS News reported... (GunPolicy.org)
US Feds Allowed Hundreds of Guns to Fall Into Hands of Mexican Cartels
3 March 2011
Center for Public Integrity (Washington)
Hoping to score a major prosecution of Mexican drug lords, federal prosecutors and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives permitted hundreds of guns to be purchased and retained by suspected straw buyers with the expectation they might cross the border and even be used in crimes while the case was being built, according to documents and interviews.
The decision — part of a Phoenix-based operation code named "Fast and Furious" — was met by strong... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Should Approve Rule to Trace, Prosecute US-Mexico Gun Runners
28 February 2011
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
Violence along the U.S.-Mexico border continues to spiral upward, with all-too-frequent reports of bullet-ridden bodies turning up on street corners, in parks, on deserted highways, even at quinceaneras.
A complex combination of drugs, corruption and poverty may be behind the bloodletting. But the source of the weapons used to kill is easily identified: The U.S. accounts for an estimated 85% of guns seized by Mexican authorities, according to a 2009 Government... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunrunning Scandal Uncovered at US Federal Firearm Control Agency
23 February 2011
CBS News (USA)
WASHINGTON - Keeping American weapons from getting into the hands of Mexican gangs is the goal of a program called "Project Gunrunner." But critics say it's doing exactly the opposite. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports on what she found.
December 14, 2010. The place: a dangerous smuggling route in Arizona not far from the border. A special tactical border squad was on patrol when gunfire broke out and agent Brian Terry was killed.
Kent,... (GunPolicy.org)
The US Campus Gun Debate: A Timeline of School and College Shootings
21 February 2011
Telegraph (UK)
Guns are banned at schools, universities and colleges in 38 American states. In 11 others, schools are allowed to decide whether or not to ban firearms from the premises. At present only Utah demands that they allow qualified gun owners to carry weapons on site.
This is a timeline of recent shootings at American colleges dating back to the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007, when Seung-Hui Cho, a student, killed 32 people and injured another 15, in the country's... (GunPolicy.org)
Students in Texas May Be Free to Bring Guns to Class Under New Laws
21 February 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
Students in Texas could soon be allowed to bring their guns into class under new legislation the notoriously gun-friendly state is poised to adopt.
More than half the state's senators have signed the bill, which is widely expected to be passed.
If the law goes through, it will add weight to a growing national campaign for students to carry firearms as a defence against college shootings like the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.
The move comes little more than a month... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Dealers Face US Charges Involving Tens of Thousands of AK47s
20 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
His lawyers contend he is a model citizen. And as a successful businessman, Gary Hyde certainly exudes an aura of respectability. For years the 41-year-old father of two was a volunteer police officer in his home town of York, until a serious injury forced him to retire. "He is an upstanding and respected member of that community," his lawyers argued last week.
But now another picture of Hyde is emerging. A man who had turned his enthusiasm for guns and military... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Endless Romance Firearms: Guns are Seductive and Addictive
20 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.
– John Wayne in The Shootist
Although very rusty, I'm range-qualified on the M-1 rifle, .30-calibre carbine, recoil-less rocket-propelled anti-tank weapon (bazooka), .30- and .50-calibre machine guns, M-2 flamethrower, Thompson "Tommy" submachinegun (beloved of Dillinger-era movies), and the Browning M1911 automatic –... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles Fly off Shelves as Arizona Gun Dealers Arm Mexican Gangs
20 February 2011
Tucson Citizen (Arizona)
A man approaches the counter at a Glendale gun store and asks for five AK-47 rifles.
Three days later, he returns and buys seven pistols. Two weeks later, he buys 20 more AK-47s.
Over the next several months, federal agents say, the same man, Uriel Patino of Phoenix, will return to Lone Wolf Trading Co. 18 times, buying a total of 42 handguns and 190 semiautomatic rifles.
Patino tells store clerks that all 232 guns are for his personal use.
But federal authorities... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge: UK Gun Dealer Must Stay in New York to Await Gun Running Trial
15 February 2011
Washington Post
ROCHESTER, New York - A British arms dealer was denied permission Tuesday to return home while awaiting trial in western New York on charges of scheming to import banned Chinese assault rifle parts.
U.S. District Judge Charles Siragusa ordered Gary Hyde of York, England, to remain in the Rochester area in a case involving a trio of gun dealers that could shed light on the illicit global arms trade.
The 41-year-old Hyde pleaded not guilty to the charges last week,... (GunPolicy.org)
India Buys Another 20,000 AK-47s to Protect Luxury Trains, Repel Maoists
13 February 2011
Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI - Waking up to the threat of Maoists and terrorists, Railways is procuring 6,000 AK-47 rifles besides critical accessories like bullet-proof jackets and helmets for its security personnel to protect trains and stations.
"We are in the process of acquiring 6,000 fully automatic AK-47 assault rifles from Bulgaria. The payments has been made to Ministry of Home Affairs for the purchase," a senior Railway Ministry official told PTI.
The AK-47 assault rifles... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,United States,United Kingdom
New York, UK, German Gun Dealers' Links to Global Arms Trafficking Deal
13 February 2011
Democrat and Chronicle (New York)
In May 2007 a British firearms dealer — Mil Tec Marketing Inc. — signed off on a contract to supply weapons parts to a Florida-based company that provides munitions and equipment to the U.S. military and other national defenses.
Under that agreement, weaponry and accessories would have ended up in Iraq for the war effort. But the British firm was unable to meet the contractual promises. Oddly, an ensuing spat between the companies is the seed of an international... (GunPolicy.org)
Virgin Island Man Kept AK-47 'For Protection' Against Disturbed Brother
10 February 2011
BVI Beacon (British Virgin Islands)
A government employee who walked down Sugar Mill Road on Saturday wielding an AK-47 assault rifle was sentenced this week to spend 16 months in prison and pay a $500 fine. Kelvin Smith, a 41-year-old messenger with the Passport Office, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court on Monday to charges of unlawful possession of explosives and carrying a prohibited weapon, a count that carries a maximum 10-year prison term.
Mr. Smith will serve an additional six months in prison... (GunPolicy.org)
Every Day's 'Take Your Gun to Work Day' in Indiana, No Questions Allowed
10 February 2011
Mother Jones (USA)
Just because your assistant keeps an AK47 in her car, doesn't mean you can fire her — at least, that's what Indiana legislators are gunning for. With Tuesday's 38 to 10 vote, Indiana's senate passed a law that would prevent employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants based on the gun collections they bring to work. If passed in the State House as well, "Parking Lot 2.0" will act as an amendment to a 2010 bill which gave employees the right to... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,United Kingdom,Portugal,China,United States,Europe
Gun Runner Turns on Licensed Dealers in UK/US/Europe Trafficking Case
10 February 2011
Associated Press
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - A sudden plea agreement in a federal prosecution of a trio of international weapons dealers has heightened momentum in a case that could shed light on the illicit global arms trade, including irregularities in U.S.-backed shipments of assault rifles to Iraq.
Gun dealer Karl Kleber, a German national who had been living in Portugal, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a U.S. district courtroom, admitting to violating federal arms laws in a scheme to import... (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)
Texas, 7 Other US States Consider Encouraging More Guns on Campus
4 February 2011
National Public Radio (USA)
Is the answer to mass shootings on college campuses to arm students and staff? Eight states are considering legislation that would allow people to carry a concealed handgun into the lecture hall, the library or the dorm. Ground zero for the debate is Texas, where a proposed law would remove "premises of higher education" as gun-free zones.
"Right now, so-called gun-free zones, I think, ought to be renamed Victims Zones," says state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, a San Antonio... (GunPolicy.org)
Romanian Assault Rifles Modified in US, Flood South to Mexican Drug War
3 February 2011
Center for Public Integrity (Washington DC)
Camron Scott Galloway, 21, walked into X Caliber Guns in Phoenix, Ariz., on Jan. 30, 2008, and filled out forms for the purchase of six AK-47 rifles.
Reliable and powerful, and a bargain at about $500 each, the Romanian-made gun, a semiautomatic version of the iconic Kalashnikov assault weapon, had become popular with the drug cartels in Mexico.
Galloway, who eventually pleaded guilty to a forgery charge and became a cooperating prosecution witness in a broader case,... (GunPolicy.org)
