Al Qaeda and the gun show loophole goes main stream

by David Safier

When I posted about Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn urging potential terrorists to buy firearms at gun shows because "You can . . .  come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check," the story was prominent on Media Matters and was floating around on progressive sites. But now it's featured in a Washington Post editorial.

THERE MAY NEVER be a better spokesman for closing the gun show loophole than Adam Yahiye Gadahn.

A 32-year-old American and convert to Islam, Mr. Gadahn referred to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as “blessed raids” and called for additional “jihad against America.” He has been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list and faces criminal charges for treason and for providing material support to al-Qaeda. . . .

His latest message, released on the Internet last week, calls on extremists in the West to take up arms against the United States.

“Let’s take America as an example,” he says. “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?”

Gadahn has the "fully automatic" part wrong, but that's the only place he's mistaken. Anyone — left, right, religious terrorist or outright crazy — can pick up arms at gun shows, no questions asked.

Here is Gadahn's call to Muslim terrorists in the U.S.