Soon, it won't even make the news.

[The Camel]

Right now in the US, people who are on the terror watchlist (and so are banned from flying) are allowed to buy guns.

Yesterday there was a vote in the Senate to change this and say that probably these people shouldn't be able to buy guns.

It was defeated 54-45 - all but 4 Republicans deciding that having a little extra gun control was a worse proposition than allowing suspected terrorists to buy weapons.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/day-after-san-bernardino-republicans-line-up-to-crush-gun-control-efforts

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

[MintTrav]

Merry Christmas from Republican politician Michele Fiore of Las Vegas.

(She's the blonde packing the Serbu Super Shorty.)

Click to see full-size image.

[BigAdz]

Right now in the US, people who are on the terror watchlist (and so are banned from flying) are allowed to buy guns.

Yesterday there was a vote in the Senate to change this and say that probably these people shouldn't be able to buy guns.

It was defeated 54-45 - all but 4 Republicans deciding that having a little extra gun control was a worse proposition than allowing suspected terrorists to buy weapons.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/day-after-san-bernardino-republicans-line-up-to-crush-gun-control-efforts

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

As a global community, are we not yet at a stage where even people suspected of terrorism links should be locked up?

I would imagine you have to be reading or discussing at a pretty hard-core level to become suspects, in the first place and therefore in the current climate, shouldn't have your civil liberties respected at the risk of thousands of others.

[Graham C]

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

As a global community, are we not yet at a stage where even people suspected of terrorism links should be locked up?

I would imagine you have to be reading or discussing at a pretty hard-core level to become suspects, in the first place and therefore in the current climate, shouldn't have your civil liberties respected at the risk of thousands of others.
[/quote]

Guantanamo Bay?

[BigAdz]

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

As a global community, are we not yet at a stage where even people suspected of terrorism links should be locked up?

I would imagine you have to be reading or discussing at a pretty hard-core level to become suspects, in the first place and therefore in the current climate, shouldn't have your civil liberties respected at the risk of thousands of others.

Guantanamo Bay?
[/quote]


TBH Graham, if thats what it takes, so be it.

To my mind, if you keep your nose clean in life, you will be ok with the establishment. As I said, if you start to show signs that this sort of life interests you, then you don't deserve any benefits of the doubt etc.

As the the great Colonel Cheeseburger used to say "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

[Jon MW]

I think the problem is assuming you have to do a lot to become a suspect.

[MintTrav]

Right now in the US, people who are on the terror watchlist (and so are banned from flying) are allowed to buy guns.

Yesterday there was a vote in the Senate to change this and say that probably these people shouldn't be able to buy guns.

It was defeated 54-45 - all but 4 Republicans deciding that having a little extra gun control was a worse proposition than allowing suspected terrorists to buy weapons.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/day-after-san-bernardino-republicans-line-up-to-crush-gun-control-efforts

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

Are you saying that known potential terrorists should be sold guns so they don't realise they are being watched?

[muckthenuts]

Who or even what exactly is a "known suspected terrorist"? I strongly suspect it's a media invention to sell papers. Or am i being naive?

[RED-DOG]

TBH Graham, if thats what it takes, so be it.

To my mind, if you keep your nose clean in life, you will be ok with the establishment. As I said, if you start to show signs that this sort of life interests you, then you don't deserve any benefits of the doubt etc.

As the the great Colonel Cheeseburger used to say "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

So your saying there should be no 'innocent until proven guilty'? Just suspicion, that's all?

I bet you would have burned a lot of witches.

[muckthenuts]

TBH Graham, if thats what it takes, so be it.

To my mind, if you keep your nose clean in life, you will be ok with the establishment. As I said, if you start to show signs that this sort of life interests you, then you don't deserve any benefits of the doubt etc.

As the the great Colonel Cheeseburger used to say "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

So your saying there should be no 'innocent until proven guilty'? Just suspicion, that's all?

I bet you would have burned a lot of witches.

But surely there's reason to justify the suspicion? Can anyone tell me more about this 'watchlist'. Do we have one in the UK?

[RED-DOG]

TBH Graham, if thats what it takes, so be it.

To my mind, if you keep your nose clean in life, you will be ok with the establishment. As I said, if you start to show signs that this sort of life interests you, then you don't deserve any benefits of the doubt etc.

As the the great Colonel Cheeseburger used to say "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

So your saying there should be no 'innocent until proven guilty'? Just suspicion, that's all?

I bet you would have burned a lot of witches.

But surely there's reason to justify the suspicion? Can anyone tell me more about this 'watchlist'. Do we have one in the UK?

I suppose it depends who is suspicious and why. I mean, it might be a member of the far right or the Klu Klux Klan that is suspicious of his Muslim neighbour, but even if we lock people up until we get to the truth, we have to presume innocence until we prove otherwise. We can't just "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

[The Camel]

Right now in the US, people who are on the terror watchlist (and so are banned from flying) are allowed to buy guns.

Yesterday there was a vote in the Senate to change this and say that probably these people shouldn't be able to buy guns.

It was defeated 54-45 - all but 4 Republicans deciding that having a little extra gun control was a worse proposition than allowing suspected terrorists to buy weapons.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/day-after-san-bernardino-republicans-line-up-to-crush-gun-control-efforts

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

Are you saying that known potential terrorists should be sold guns so they don't realise they are being watched?

If they are on a "watch list" but not being arrested already, that suggests to me the security services are monitoring them in order to get enough evidence to arrest them in the future or don't believe they are a threat, but might have links to unknown people that will be a threat.

Either way, alerting someone to the fact that they are on the watch list (by not selling them a gun) will render the surveillence useless and pointless.

[EvilPie]

Right now in the US, people who are on the terror watchlist (and so are banned from flying) are allowed to buy guns.

Yesterday there was a vote in the Senate to change this and say that probably these people shouldn't be able to buy guns.

It was defeated 54-45 - all but 4 Republicans deciding that having a little extra gun control was a worse proposition than allowing suspected terrorists to buy weapons.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/day-after-san-bernardino-republicans-line-up-to-crush-gun-control-efforts

Surely it will be a bit of a tip off to potential terrorists that they are on the watch list if they are turned down the opportunity to buy guns?

Are you saying that known potential terrorists should be sold guns so they don't realise they are being watched?

If they are on a "watch list" but not being arrested already, that suggests to me the security services are monitoring them in order to get enough evidence to arrest them in the future or don't believe they are a threat, but might have links to unknown people that will be a threat.

Either way, alerting someone to the fact that they are on the watch list (by not selling them a gun) will render the surveillence useless and pointless.

Pretty sure they've already noticed they aren't allowed on planes.

[BigAdz]

TBH Graham, if thats what it takes, so be it.

To my mind, if you keep your nose clean in life, you will be ok with the establishment. As I said, if you start to show signs that this sort of life interests you, then you don't deserve any benefits of the doubt etc.

As the the great Colonel Cheeseburger used to say "Round em up. Put em in a field, and bomb the bastards!!"

So your saying there should be no 'innocent until proven guilty'? Just suspicion, that's all?

I bet you would have burned a lot of witches.

I probably would have Tom!

But lets be serious. I am talking about those that are on certain types of sympathetic websites/looking at guns/bomb making types sites etc. I am sure these people reffered to earlier have all displayed these characteristics, yet remain on just a "watchlist" until they actually do something.

To me, that is enough reason to drag them in. Normal people don't do this sort of thing, and when sensitivities are high, surely even more reason not to put yourself in a "grey area".

Put it this way, if I went on the scout for info on making bombs, I wouldn't feel like my civil liberties were being infringed if I was put into custody for a while until I was checked and and questioned properly.

[muckthenuts]

A bit of google research confirms the idea of a terror watchlist is indeed an absolute joke.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/terrorist-watch-list_n_5617599.html

The "no-fly" list has to be similar. Oh good we've stopped them from getting on a plane, i guess that should leave Mr Terrorist all out of ideas right? Wtaf.

Adz - i just completely doubt anyone is looking at bomb making websites or chatting to "sympathisers" on a internet forum without being pulled in. Like how would that even be remotely possible?