WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – Following Wednesday night’s arrest of two men plotting a terrorist attack in New York City, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) pointed to the continued trend of terrorists arming themselves with readily-available weapons to carry out commando-style attacks in the United States. Lautenberg is the author of two bills aimed at closing significant loopholes in U.S. law that make it easier for criminals and terrorists to obtain guns and explosives to carry out their crimes.
“The terror suspects arrested in New York City show the intent and determination of terrorists to launch attacks in the United States with guns and explosives,” Lautenberg said. “Law enforcement has done excellent work pursuing and arresting suspects, but there is more we must do to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. Our gun laws have gaping holes that literally allow terrorists to walk into a local gun store or gun show and leave with a deadly weapon. From attacks in Mumbai to Ft. Hood, terror plots using guns and explosives are becoming more common and we must act to stop terrorists from getting these weapons and killing Americans.”
Lautenberg released a report in October 2010, “Firearms, Explosives and Terrorists – A Looming Threat – A Major U.S. Vulnerability,” examining the dangers posed to the United States by a commando-style terrorism attack using guns or explosives. The report points to the shootings at Ft. Hood and Little Rock, Arkansas, as well as the attempted bombing in Times Square, as demonstrating the interest and ability of terrorists to launch attacks in the United States using guns and explosives.
Lautenberg introduced the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Criminals Act (S. 34) to close the “Terror Gap,” a loophole in U.S. law that prohibits the government from blocking the sale of a gun or explosive to a terror suspect. The bill would provide the Attorney General with authority to stop the sale of guns or explosives when a background check reveals that the purchaser is a known or suspected terrorist and the Attorney General reasonably believes that the person may use a firearm or explosives in connection with terrorism. Under current federal law, being a known or suspected terrorist is not a disqualifying factor for buying guns and explosives.
At Senator Lautenberg’s request, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has been tracking the number of times that a background check required for the purchase of a gun or explosive indicates the applicant is on the terror watch list. Between February 2004 and December 2010, there were 1,453 cases in which individuals on the terror watch list were involved in a firearm or explosives background check. In 91 percent of those cases – a total of 1,321 times – they were cleared to proceed with the purchase.
Lautenberg has also introduced the Gun Show Background Check Act (S. 35) to close the loophole that allows guns to be sold, even to criminals and terrorists, without background checks at gun shows. The bill would require that sellers at gun shows perform the same background checks that licensed gun dealers are required to perform under the Brady Law. The Gun Show Background Check Act of 2011 is virtually identical to the Lautenberg amendment passed by the Senate in the 106th Congress as part of the Juvenile Justice bill.
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Preceding provided by Senator Lautenberger