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Sunday, June 1, 2003
HOMELAND INSECURITY
Everyone checked for guns – except known terrorists!
Database used on law-abiding Americans while al-Qaida, other enemies
get free ride
Posted: June 1, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Despite recent efforts to beef up security in the United States, those
most likely to use weapons against Americans are not even on background
checklists at local gun dealers.
While nine out of 10 gun purchases are now subject to instant FBI
criminal checks to filter out convicted felons, fugitives and a handful of
others, the State Department's list of known foreign terrorists – used by
airport security personnel and border patrols – is not included in the
database used by dealers to check a buyer's eligibility, reports CBS News.
Even the names of suspected al-Qaida cell members in the U.S. would not
show up in a background check by a gun store.
More than 20 months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a government
report prepared by the Congressional Research Service found both
international and domestic terrorists could take advantage of the
background-check loophole to purchase weapons ranging from rifles to
hundreds of pounds of explosive powder.
''As long as they have evaded detection by law enforcement authorities
and are not identified as prohibited persons, they could purchase firearms
from licensed dealers,'' the report said. ''They could also purchase
firearms at gun shows from either licensed or unlicensed persons.''
''Why on earth would we want to shield the terrorists from being
identified?'' asks Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. during an interview with
CBS.
The report was requested by Lautenberg, who has introduced legislation
to prolong background checks and waiting periods for firearm purchases
during times of heightened terror alert.
Al-Qaida has apparently taken notice of the background-check procedure
for gun purchases. According to Lautenberg, a training manual for the
terror network was found in Afghanistan in which it's suggested weapons
are cheap and easily available in the U.S.
The CRS report noted that a convicted felon and member of the
Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah was able to purchase firearms at
Michigan gun shows in the months after Sept. 11. The man was later
convicted of conspiring to smuggle the arms overseas.
Many gun dealers and the National Rifle Association argue there are
enough checks in place already. Firearm advocates say the solution lies in
the enforcement of current laws, not new legislation.
''This is a continuation of the shameless tradition of gun-ban
politicians embracing tragedy to push their agenda,'' Andrew Arulanandam,
a spokesman for the National Rifle Association, told the Newark
Star-Ledger.
However, gun dealer Don Davis supports more checks.
''My God, we do records all day. That one more record of checking out
one more guy is certainly not going to make any difference if you love
this country. And brother, I love this country,'' Davis told CBS.
