4.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1981
REFERRING TO THE RECENT INCIDENT AT THE NEW WORLD CENTRE, MR BARNES SAID IT WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH THE INCIDENTS INVOLVING BUSES.
+HERE AGAIN THERE IS SO FAR A LACK OF EVIDENCE AS TO
MOTIVATION,+ HE SAID.
MR BARNES ADDED THAT THE CASE WAS UNDER ACTIVE INVESTIGATION BY THE POLICE AND IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR HIM TO MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENT AT THIS STAGE.
TOUGHER LAW ON FIREARMS ***
A REVISED ARMS AND AMMUNITION BILL WILL SOON BE CONSIDERED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO TIGHTEN CONTROL OVER FIREARMS AND IMITATION FIREARMS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES SAID TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR BARNES SAID THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL WOULD INCLUDE MEASURES TO TIGHTEN CONTROL OVER THE IMPORTATION AND LICENSING OF FIREARMS, THE POSSESSION AND USE OF IMITATION FIREARMS, AS WELL AS INCREASED PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO THESE ARMS,
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED RESTRICTING THE SELLING OF TOY PISTOLS WHICH COULD BE CONVERTED INTO REAL FIREARMS, BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS OF LEGAL DEFINITION AND ENFORCEMENT.
IT HAS CONCLUDED THAT MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL CAN BE ACHIEVED BY IMPOSING HEAVY PENALTIES ON THOSE CONVICTED OF OFFENCES INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OR USE OF IMITATION FIREARMS OR THE IR CONVERSION INTO REAL FIREARMS, MR BARNES SAID.
LAST YEAR, IMITATION FIREARMS WERE USED IN 25 DETECTED ROBBERY CASES. PISTOL-LIKE OBJECTS (WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN REAL OR IMITATION) WERE USED IN 147 OTHER REPORTED CASES. REAL FIREARMS WERE USED IN EIGHT DETECTED AND 14 UNDETECTED CASES.
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