An averted terrorist plot and up to date shootings in Reykjavík put weapons in Iceland within the highlight, sparking conversations about whether or not the Nordic nation ought to tighten its gun legal guidelines and provides extra leeway to police investigating crimes.
Iceland is famend for its secure society, frequently topping lists as some of the peaceable international locations on this planet.
Whereas gun violence is uncommon, an alleged terrorist plot and three current shootings shocked Icelanders.
On 21 September, 4 Icelandic males had been arrested in Reykjavík, alleged to have engaged in producing 3D-printed weapons and to have conspired to make use of these weapons in opposition to unnamed authorities workplaces.
In raids final month, police seized dozens of firearms and 1000's of rounds of ammunition. Two males are presently in police custody, and two have been launched.
The current headlines have despatched shockwaves via Iceland.
“When the information got here out concerning the alleged terrorist plot, you might really feel the alarm in society,” mentioned Helgi Gunnlaugsson, professor of criminology on the College of Iceland.
“It got here out of the blue; we don’t have most of these issues in Iceland.”
Final month’s terror plot arrests come on the heels of a capturing in Blönduós in north Iceland in August that left two folks lifeless and one particular person injured and two different shootings in February.
It comes amid a surge within the variety of semi-automatic weapons being imported into Iceland. Police figures present there have been 252 such firearms imported in 2020, up from 19 the yr earlier than, two in 2018 and none through the earlier two years.
Excessive gun possession in Iceland
Whereas Iceland is thought for its peacefulness, gun possession is surprisingly excessive in Iceland.
There are an estimated 106,000 weapons held by civilians in Iceland -- about one for each three folks -- and many of the weapons are rifles and shotguns slightly than handguns, in response to figures compiled by the Gunpolicy.org database on the College of Sydney.
Armed crime is uncommon and the nation has strict gun legal guidelines: there have solely been 52 gun deaths within the final decade that statistics can be found, and 50 of them had been suicides.
“It's a must to know that gun possession is excessive in Iceland, however the tradition behind it's linked to searching or collectors,” mentioned Professor Gunnlaugsson.
“For farming communities, they've entry to shotguns, and it’s been part of Icelandic society to have weapons. It’s overseas to Icelanders to have a gun to guard your self or to level to another person. It’s an alien thought; not a part of the Icelandic mentality, which makes the current information so surprising," she instructed Euronews.
Shopping for a gun shouldn't be a straightforward course of both, as Icelandic regulation locations strict limits on gun possession.
To acquire a licence for a firearm, candidates should be at the least 20 years previous, go a medical evaluation to make sure they're mentally and bodily match to deal with a gun and have a clear felony file.
Candidates should get suggestions from two folks to attend a course on firearms, gun security, and gun and searching legal guidelines.
“You ship a request to the police, and if you happen to go the necessities, it's a must to attend a seminar, taking part in two lectures, a written examination and a 'hands-on day' with an area gun membership,” mentioned Þórarinn Þórarinsson, a police officer in Reykjavík.
“In case you go this, you get your 'A' allow, permitting you to purchase .22 cal rifles and shotguns. After one yr, you possibly can apply for the 'B' allow - large rifles and semi-auto shotguns,” he mentioned.
Authorities desires to tighten gun legal guidelines much more
Regardless of the strict legal guidelines, Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson has expressed a need to strengthen gun legal guidelines additional. He'll submit a proposal of adjustments to the regulation to parliament this autumn.
“Like I've repeatedly mentioned this yr, we're reconsidering the entire authorized framework for getting a gun licence,” he instructed the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblðið not too long ago.
“On the entire, the regulation is sort of strict, and it isn't a straightforward course of getting a gun licence in comparison with the international locations round us. However we're going over these items, and that is on my agenda as a proposal for the autumn, to vary the authorized framework.”
Some gun house owners will not be against additional restrictions.
“In my view, I feel it's okay to strengthen some legal guidelines and loosen others,” mentioned Sigurður Ingi Jónsson, from the Skotíþróttafélag Kópavogs capturing membership.
“I'm all for outright banning assault rifles which can be allowed beneath the collector’s licence, however I additionally really feel like proudly owning an air pistol mustn't have the identical licence as proudly owning a .38 particular or 9mm pistol.”
Arming the police is one other potential space of change.
Icelandic law enforcement officials are presently unarmed when patrolling, and the particular forces should be referred to as out if wanted as they're permitted to hold firearms.
Nonetheless, minister Gunnarsson has not clarified whether or not arming common Icelandic law enforcement officials is on the playing cards.
“It's vitally essential to verify our law enforcement officials are secure to allow them to be the guards of the protection of the residents. We're this in my ministry, and I'll make a agency determination on the matter,” he mentioned.
Officers say there's a consensus amongst police authorities that the gun legal guidelines want modification, and this work is underway on the ministry of justice.
“Many police forces in Europe are armed on responsibility,” mentioned Criminology Professor Helgi Gunnlaugsson.
“The Icelandic police power shouldn't be, however that would change in a single day. We must see what comes out of the investigation of the alleged terrorism plot, and there could be extra of a need to vary the regulation.”
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