Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Saudis grant licences for gun shops
Security experts feel the decision will help restrict illegal possession of weapons
- By Abdulnabi Al Shaheen Riyadh Correspondent and Habib Toumi Bahrain Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:00 October 19, 2009
- Image Credit: Reuters
- A man holds an auction for an antique gun at Souq Al Zal in downtown Riyadh. Saudis will now be able to buy handguns and other personal firearms openly for the first time after the interior ministry said on Saturday that it would license privately owned gun shops.
Riyadh & Manama Saudi security experts said yesterday the new decision to grant licences to private gun shops for the sale of personal firearms is part of the recent steps to rein in the widespread illegal ownership of handguns and assault weapons from unknown sources.
"The security authorities are keen to put an end to the practice of possessing personal weapons in an illegal manner," Dr Muneef Al Qahtani from the Security Sciences College of Riyadh told Gulf News.
The decision was greeted with mixed reaction from citizens.
"Allowing people to buy guns will help eliminate many societal ills. Now people with criminal intent will think much more carefully before they do anything evil," blogger ‘Desert Liberal' posted on the internet.
Others were more wary of the news.
"Weapons may fall in the hands of young people who in fact need anger management courses. We might have a real social crisis because of widespread sale of weapons," a woman identifying herself as Hanan wrote.
In Bahrain and Kuwait, where the possession of weapons is banned, several people have said that they would strongly be against allowing people to have guns.
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