Islamic State magazine steers followers to U.S. gun shows for ‘easy’ access to weapons
In August, a former Islamic State recruit caused a stir when he described how the terrorist organization sought to exploit America’s lax gun laws.
“They say the Americans are dumb — they have open gun policies” the recruit told the New York Times from a German prison. “They say we can radicalize them easily, and if they have no prior record, they can buy guns, so we don’t need to have a contact man who has to provide guns for them.”
It appeared to be the first time anyone from the Islamic State had spoken openly about the organization’s views on U.S. gun control, as The Washington Post reported at the time.
Now, the Islamic State has spelled out its position in writing.
In the most recent issue of Rumiyah, its glossy multilingual propaganda magazine, the Islamic State encouraged recruits in the United States to take advantage of laws that allow people to buy firearms without having to present identification or submit to background checks.
Recruits should seek out gun shows and online sales in particular, said the write-up in the magazine, which was released Thursday.
“The acquisition of firearms can be very simple depending on one’s geographical location,” the piece read. “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.”