Everytown, Moms Demand Action Respond to Latest Example of Terror Groups Advocating Exploitation of America’s Weak Gun Laws

Report in The Washington Post Reveals That the Islamic State Is Urging Followers to Easily Circumvent Background Checks to Arm Themselves and Attack the United States

A 2011 Al Qaeda Video Noted That ‘America Is Absolutely Awash with Easily Obtainable Firearms’

NEW YORK – Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown, today released the following statements following a Washington Post report that the magazine of the Islamic State is urging terrorists to take advantage of the United State’s weak gun laws by arming themselves with no background check and to attack densely populated areas in the United States.

The Post quotes the Islamic State’s magazine noting that “The acquisition of firearms can be very simple depending on one’s geographical location. In most U.S. states, anything from a single-shot shotgun all the way up to a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle can be purchased at showrooms or through online sales — by way of private dealers — with no background checks, and without requiring either an ID or a gun license.”

International terrorist organizations are well aware of the many loopholes in our current gun laws. Currently, under federal law and the law in more than 30 states, terrorists can rely on unlicensed sellers online or at gun shows—where no background check is required—to purchase firearms. As a 2011 video released by Al-Qaeda states, “America is absolutely awash with easily-obtainable firearms. You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle without a background check and, most likely, without having to show an identification card. So what are you waiting for?”

STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT, EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:

“Terrorists are well aware of the loopholes in our laws that make it easy to get guns online or at gun shows – with no background check and no questions asked. This should send chills down the spine of Americans and light a fire under our elected leaders to take action. After September 11, 2001, our leaders pledged the government’s full resources – economic, military, intelligence, law enforcement – to protect us from terror. It’s past time to recognize this isn’t a hypothetical – terrorists know how to exploit one of our most glaring weaknesses: our gun laws. Our leaders in Congress must finally take action to close the loopholes in our gun laws that put public safety and national security at risk.”

STATEMENT FROM SHANNON WATTS, FOUNDER, MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“For far too long, our elected leaders have put national security at risk by allowing the gun lobby to block efforts to close loopholes in our gun laws that allow dangerous people—including suspected terrorists—to easily get guns. We should all be terrified that terrorist organizations are instructing their acolytes to take advantage of our weak gun laws to hurt us here at home. And yet Congress does nothing in response. In the absence of Congressional action, states have led the effort to fix gun laws. In fact, in the past five years, we have worked alongside lawmakers in eight states to close the background check loophole. Congress has a clear and urgent obligation to fix our gun laws—and if they don’t, we must find leaders who will. We cannot afford to let the complacency of cowardly politicians put our national security on the line.”

More on background checks is available here.