9-in-10 on terror watch list who sought to buy guns were approved in 2015

[Morphine Prince 109,676]

Washington (CNN) - People on the United States' terrorist watch list passed background checks and have been allowed to purchase firearms 91% of the time in 2015, updated federal data shows.

An updated report by the Government Accountability Office, released Tuesday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office, shows individuals on the terrorist watch list were involved in background checks to purchase firearms 244 times -- with 223 of those transactions, or 91%, allowed to proceed.

That same 91% approval rate holds from February 2004, when the National Instant Criminal Background Check System began checking prospective gun buyers against the Federal Bureau of Investigation's terrorist watch list. Since then, people on the watch list have had their backgrounds checked for firearms purchases 2,477 times -- with 2,265 of those transactions allowed to proceed and 212 denied.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/14/politics/terrorist-watch-list-91-percent-approved-guns/index.html?sr=twCNN061516terrorist-watch-list-91-percent-approved-guns0331AMVODtopPhoto&linkId=25552822

 

[Sizzily 14,571]

[PartySick 172,545]

Yeah, but the problem isn't our guns or gun laws, it's Muslim extremism!!!1!!11!

Spoiler

 

[Didymus 34,380]

Nvm

[Adakam 2]

FAIL

[Gagaloo911 12,959]

Does anyone else feel Orlando could have been a breaking point? I mean especially with today's news from the filibuster going on right now, its bipartisan support, and even the NRA moving a little.

 

Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but this is definitely something. We've needed at least that for forever now..

[Goosey 3,017]

Um.

There's no law that says people on the "terror watch list" can't purchase firearms. 

As long as you don't have a felony conviction or a record of serious mental health problems, you pass the background check.

Of course 9 in 10 would be able to purchase them.

And unless they have an actual case against these people, that's how it should be! Depriving American citizens of their constitutional rights because they were placed on a secret list without due process, oversight, accountability, appeals or even any real evidence would be completely illegitimate.

 

 

Note that Omar Mateen was not on a terror watch list and would have been able to purchase the guns regardless of  whether such a law was in place. Mateen told coworkers he had terrorist relatives, the FBI investigated, he claimed he made the comments because coworkers were discriminating against him as a Muslim, the  FBI turned up nothing, and Mateen was removed from the watch list after the investigation was closed.

 

16 hours ago, Gagaloo92 said:

Does anyone else feel Orlando could have been a breaking point? I mean especially with today's news from the filibuster going on right now, its bipartisan support, and even the NRA moving a little. Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but this is definitely something. We've needed at least that for forever now..

The NRA agreed to a "delay" in purchasing firearms for those on the watch list. However, some people say that even this is unacceptable, because "a right delayed is a right denied".

Here's the relevant part of the NRA's statement:

The NRA's position on this issue has not changed.  The NRA believes that terrorists should not be allowed to purchase or possess firearms, period.  Anyone on a terror watchlist who tries to buy a gun should be thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed while the investigation is ongoing.  If an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale, and arrest the terrorist.  At the same time, due process protections should be put in place that allow law-abiding Americans who are wrongly put on a watchlist to be removed.