JEDDAH, 28 August 2004 — Saudi Arabia is set to launch a major campaign to track down those possessing unlicensed weapons as the grace period to surrender such weapons ended yesterday.
The Interior Ministry said it will impose punishment up to 10-year jail and SR50,000 fine on violators of the weapons law.
“We don’t have any plan to extend the grace period,” said Brig. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the ministry. “Maximum punishment will be imposed on the violators of the law,” Al-Riyadh Arabic daily quoted him as saying.
The campaign against illegal possession of weapons comes after alarming reports that such weapons are used in most of an estimated 10,000 shooting cases that take place in the Kingdom in a year. It also comes as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to stamp out terrorism.
Turki said the ministry will not accept any justifications from holders of unlicensed arms such as non-awareness of the law or absence from the country. However, he said authorities would consider special situations of individuals if they were genuine and if they could prove it.
The spokesman also explained the limitations of those who carry licensed arms as they are not allowed to carry or use them in unwarranted circumstances or places. “Licenses are given for personal use and hunting. There are people who are licensed to use their weapons only at their home or cars. The weapons for hunting are licensed to use during the hunting season and the hunting area,” he explained.
Security officers are exempted from the law. However, Turki pointed out they have to follow the regulations set by the ministry on carrying and using their official weapons. Security officers are also given personal weapons. “They carry and use their weapons in specific places following certain regulations,” he added.
Gen. Turki ruled out the possibility of giving license to those who had carried unlicensed weapons. “They will not be given the weapons back with license. The grace period was given to save them from punishment,” he added.
He said authorities would look favorably into cases of those who surrender unlicensed weapons even after the end of the grace period. “We welcome those who change their mind and surrender their weapons and the authorities will respond favorably to those who cooperate with them,” he added.
According to a report carried by Okaz more than 10,000 shooting incidents have taken place in the country within a year. “In most such cases unlicensed guns were used,” said Maj. Gen. Hamoud Al-Batti, assistant director of public security for crimes. Most of the culprits were unemployed youths aged 19 to 30.
In the year 2002 alone, 185 murders have taken place in various parts of the Kingdom, the largest of which (85 cases) took place in the Makkah region, followed by the Riyadh region (37). Police have found 961 cases of people holding unlicensed weapons, the paper added.
Okaz daily reported a series of shooting incidents that had taken place in the Kingdom over the past four years. In Sakaka, for example, an unemployed youth opened fire on worshippers at a mosque on Friday, injuring one. Two students in Makkah shot at their colleague by mistake and a citizen opened fire on security officers in Taif. In the Asir region, a Saudi went on a shooting spree and wounded several expatriates.
