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Group Says Oregon Terrorist Suspect Proves Alleged Hamas Agent Foiled When Gun Store Washington, DC—Americans for Gun Safety (AGS) today urged Congress to quickly approve the McCain-Lieberman gun show bill after a background check at an Oregon gun store led to the arrest of an apparent member of the terrorist group Hamas. Ali Khaled Steitiye was arrested in Beaverton, Oregon after he attempted to purchase a gun from The Gun Broker, a federally licensed gun dealer in Tigard. Steitiye, a Lebanese native, has a long record of felony convictions from various states. This week, he was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of firearms and for lying on the federal form used to conduct a background check. In a search of his home, police found weapons, ammunition, $20,000 in cash, fake citizenship documents, and fraudulent social security cards. The search of his home also revealed even clearer evidence of Steitiye's ties to terrorism: a plaque bearing the name of the terrorist group Hamas and a calendar with September 11th highlighted. Steitiye later admitted to attending guerrilla training camps in Lebanon. "This case proves that background checks can help America win the war on terrorism at home," said AGS President Jonathan Cowan. "But it should serve as yet another warning about the serious threat to our homeland defense that is the gun show loophole. Steitiye was caught because gun sales at gun stores must include a background check. If he had tried to buy his gun at a gun show in another state—one that doesn't require background checks—he would have been able to slip through the system and would be free—and armed—right now." AGS has also uncovered three cases in which suspected terrorists used gun shows to avoid background checks in Michigan, Florida, and Texas. "We are deluding ourselves if we believe that terrorists operating in America are adverse to using guns," said Cowan. "In fact, an Internet website urging Jihad against this country tells terrorists to acquire guns in America." Cowan also noted that "the reason this terrorist was caught was because an alert gun dealer realized he was lying on his background check form. Given all the evidence we have about terrorists arming themselves in America, we simply can't continue to have an honor system for terrorists at gun shows." The McCain-Lieberman bill will require criminal background checks for all gun sales at gun shows. Senator McCain has promised to bring his bill to the floor early next year. "The right to own a gun does not extend to terrorists and criminals and the only way to stop them is through a background check. That was proven this week in Oregon," said Cowan. Americans for Gun Safety was a major force behind the successful Oregon ballot initiative last November to close the gun show loophole. Oregon is now one of only 18 states to require background checks for private firearms sales at gun shows. AGS is a non-partisan, not-for-profit advocacy organization that supports the rights of individuals to own guns but seeks better laws and better enforcement of existing laws in order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Further information about the gun show loophole is available on the AGS website: www.americansforgunsafety.com.
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