By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 30 June 2014:
The Interior Minister has decided to allow individuals to own arms and ammunition. It plans . . .[restrict]to issue gun and explosives licences to ordinary citizens.
In a situation where there are probably as many weapons in private hands as there are people in the country, the decision may appear to many as akin to shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. However, the more pragmatic view is that it is a first step by the authorities to try and control gun ownership by finding out who owns what.
Under the plan, anyone applying for permission to possess arms must be of a good conduct, of sound mind, with good eyesight and be 21 years of age and over. Moreover he (note the “he” rather than “she) must not have been convicted and imprisoned for assault on a person or property. Nor can he have been convicted of drug trafficking, possession of drugs, theft or any armed crime. Licences will be renewable annually and can be canceled before renewal if circumstances require. Licences will start being issued from January 2015.
Licenses will be automatically voided if the licensee no longer fulfills any of the above conditions or has a licence issued by an issuing authority in violation of those conditions. [/restrict]
