Dubai: City-based lawyers have demanded that a legal loophole must be plugged to include cold weapons like knives, daggers and swords under the definition of dangerous weapons whose sale and use must be restricted.
The loss of young lives involved in recent gang fights — one recently claimed the life of 11-year-old Emirati student Ali Hussain who bled to death after being stabbed 11 times — has triggered the rethinking.
Under Federal Law No 11 of 1967, a weapon is identified as anything that includes gunpowder and any of its parts. The law does not include any article that identifies cold weapons as dangerous. A cold weapon does not have fire or explosions, such as combustion, as a result of the use of gunpowder or explosive.
Change the law
A chorus of calls from legal minds to change the law followed several incidents of youngsters getting involved in knifing and stabbing incidents. Emirati lawyer Haroun Tahlak said authorities must add an article to the existing law that identifies cold weapons prepared for military use, including swords, daggers and some forms of knives as dangerous.
The amendment must control access to such weapons by juveniles. There must be tough procedures like requiring a licence for owning these weapons, he said.
Plug the loophole
Lawyer Yousuf Hammad said there must be an article that specifies types of dangerous cold weapons and who can own them. Hammad said the current legal loophole makes it easy for youngsters to get access to these weapons. Hamid Al Khazraji of Ibrahim Al Mulla Advocates and Legal Consultants said parents of a juvenile involved in a cold weapon dispute must bear legal responsibility. "When a juvenile drives his father's car without a licence, the father bears the responsibility. The same must apply here," he said. Mohammad Ali Rustom, Chief Prosecutor, Family and Juveniles Prosecution Section, said investigations into Hussain's murder are nearing completion.
Knife laws in other countries
England, Northern Ireland and Wales ban under-18s from buying knives or objects that are sharp or have blades.
In Scotland the age limit is 16. No one can buy, sell or make flick or butterfly knives or disguised blades in the UK .
There was a rise in attempted murders with knives (245 in 2007-08 to 271 in 2008-09) in Britain.
The US federal government bans interstate commerce in switchblade knives. Half the states have outright bans on them, while a dozen ban carrying and/or commerce in switchblades.
Source: home.netcom, Crimestoppers UK, BBC
