FBI Background Check News and Updates

Flaws in FBI Background Check System Fail to Flag Purchases

2011-09-12T13:19:00.001-07:00

Like many states, Maine depends on the FBI to conduct background checks of people who want to acquire firearms from the state’s federally licensed gun dealers.

And like many states, Maine is a slacker in supplying the records that the FBI depends on to run those checks.

That’s how Raymond Geisel got his guns, including a Glock Model 17 pistol and a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 assault rifle. Geisel had previously been committed to a psychiatric hospital in Bangor, which made him ineligible under federal law to buy or possess a gun. But because state officials had not supplied records of his commitment to the FBI, Geisel passed background checks without being flagged.

Eventually, the law caught up with Geisel. He was arrested in Miami in August 2008 for making threats against Barack Obama, who was campaigning in south Florida around the same time. Another gun that Geisel had acquired in Maine was subsequently recovered by federal agents in his hotel room, along with a combat-style hatchet, armor-piercing ammo and canisters of tear gas.

The data gap that Geisel exploited should have been closed by now. Four years ago, after the massacre at Virginia Tech exposed gaps in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), Congress and the Bush administration took decisive action to shore up the joint state-federal operation, which is supposed to keep guns away from the deranged and the dangerous.

Original Source – iWatch News

Arizona Suspected Gunman Passed FBI Criminal Background Check

2011-09-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and at least 17 others were shot on January 8, 2011, Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Ms. Giffords was meeting with constituents.

Ms. Giffords, 40, whom the authorities called the target of the attack, was in critical condition Sunday morning at the University Medical Center in Tucson, where she was operated on by a team of neurosurgeons on Saturday.

Six of the victims died, among them John M. Roll, the chief judge for the United States District Court for Arizona, and a 9-year-old girl, the Pima County sheriff, Clarence W. Dupnik, said.

The suspect in Saturday’s deadly rampage purchased a firearm legally after passing an FBI background check. Jared Lee Loughner, a 22-year-old man with a troubled past who law enforcement say may have been influenced by American Renaissance, a pro-white publication, bought the gun from Sportsman’s Warehouse’s Tucson store in November.

Mr. Loughner had exhibited increasingly strange behavior in recent months, including ominous Internet postings – at least one showing a gun – and a series of videos in which he made disjointed statements on topics like the gold standard and mind control.

Pima Community College said he had been suspended for conduct violations and withdrew in October after five instances of classroom or library disruptions that involved the campus police.

Loughner, accused of killing six people, shooting Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and wounding 13 others, did not present a concealed weapons permit so he was required to pass an FBI background check. He did so “immediately and without incident,” said Matt French, speaking from the Sportsman’s Warehouse’s Utah headquarters.

“To my knowledge, the firearm purchase was without incident,” French said.
French could not confirm whether the gun purchased in November was the same gun allegedly used in Saturday’s mass shooting, for which Loughner so far has been charged with five counts of murder and attempted murder. However, he said it was the only recent firearm purchase made by the suspect at their stores.

President Obama, speaking at the White House, confirmed that a suspect was in custody and said that the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Mueller III, was on his way to Arizona to oversee the investigation.

Original Source – Fox News

Osama Bin Laden is Dead, President Obama Announces

2011-09-12T13:15:00.001-07:00

Osama Bin Laden is dead, President Obama announced Sunday night, in a televised address to the nation. His death was the result of a U.S. operation launched today in Abbottabad, Pakistan, against a compound where bin Laden was believed to be hiding, according to U.S. intelligence. After a firefight, a small team of American forces killed bin Laden and took possession of his body, the president said.

“Tonight I can report to the American people and the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden,” Obama said during brief remarks at the White House.

“Justice has been done,” he said, in comments that marked a formal end of the manhunt for the most visible and emotionally-charged symbol of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The president said U.S. intelligence operatives received a tip in August on bin Laden’s whereabouts, which ultimately led to Sunday’s attack. Obama said he determined last week that the U.S. had enough reliable information to take action; by Sunday morning, he had authorized “a small team of Americans” to conduct an operation targeting bin Laden.

“After a fire fight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body,” the president said. “No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties.”

Obama said the 9/11 attacks that bin Laden and his lieutenants orchestrated nearly 10 years ago remain “the worst attack on the American people in our history” and said the images of the crumbling Twin Towers “are seared into our national memory.”

The president emphasized that Americans “did not choose this fight” against al Qaeda, but rather, “it came to our shores.” He praised U.S. military and intelligence professionals for working “tirelessly to achieve this outcome.” To the families of 9/11 victims, he noted that the U.S. has “never forgotten your loss.”

“Tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11,” Obama said. “I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.”

Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush had targeted bin Laden during their presidencies, and both had failed to either capture him or kill him. The failure to snare bin Laden weighed most heavily, perhaps, on the Bush Administration, which occupied the White House during the 9/11 attacks, and the al Qaeda leader’s killing falls exactly eight years to the day when Bush famously declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iraq.

Bush said in a statement that Obama called him Sunday night to inform him of “the momentous achievement” of bin Laden’s death.

“I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude,” Bush said. “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

Original Source – Huffington Post

Arizona Governor Vetoes Birther and College Campus Gun Bill

2011-09-12T13:11:00.001-07:00

PHOENIX (Reuters) – Arizona’s Republican Governor Jan Brewer on Monday vetoed two controversial bills, one mandating proof of U.S. citizenship to run for president, the other allowing guns on college campuses, in a clear setback for conservatives who control the state legislature.

Brewer, who grabbed headlines a year ago when she signed a get-tough state law cracking down on illegal immigrants, vetoed the bills in an announcement late on Monday.

The so-called “birther bill,” would have made Arizona the first state in the nation to require presidential candidates prove U.S. citizenship by providing a long form birth certificate, and other forms of proof including baptismal or circumcision certificates, to be placed on the state ballot.

“I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth to submit their ‘early baptism or circumcision certificates’ … This is a bridge too far,” she said..

A former Arizona secretary of state, Brewer said she did not support designating one person as “gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate,” as it “could lead to arbitrary or politically motivated decisions.”

The Republican-controlled state legislature passed the measure at a time when some foes of President Barack Obama, a Democrat question whether he is a native-born U.S. citizen. Real estate mogul and television reality show host Donald Trump is among those questioning Obama’s birth in Hawaii.

Brewer also vetoed a bill that would have made Arizona the second state in the nation to allow an individual to carry a firearm — either concealed or not — in the public rights of way on higher education campuses, because it was “so poorly written.”

Brewer said shortcomings in the bill included a failure to define “public rights of way” and the inclusion of state schools, where firearms are prohibited by federal and state laws.

Neighboring Utah allows firearms inside campus buildings.

Original Source – Reuters/Yahoo News

President Obama Calling for Better Gun Sale Background Checks

2011-09-12T13:07:00.001-07:00

The Second Amendment and court precedent guarantee an individual’s right to bear arms, but improved and expanded background checks are needed to prevent gun violence like the shocking attack in Tucson in January, President Obama wrote in an op-ed Sunday.

Writing in the Arizona Daily Star more than two months after the shooting of Rep.Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others, six of whom died, Obama said he’s “willing to bet” that responsible gun owners would support laws to “keep an irresponsible, law-breaking few — dangerous criminals and fugitives, for example — from getting their hands on” guns.

“Most gun owners know that the word ‘commonsense’ isn’t a code word for ‘confiscation,” he wrote.

“I’m willing to bet they don’t think that using a gun and using common sense are incompatible ideas — that we should check someone’s criminal record before he can check out at a gun seller; that an unbalanced man shouldn’t be able to buy a gun so easily; that there’s room for us to have reasonable laws that uphold liberty, ensure citizen safety and are fully compatible with a robust Second Amendment,” the president wrote.

Obama wrote in Sunday’s op-ed that his administration has not curbed gun rights but, in fact, has expanded them, by letting people carry guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.

But, he said, with more than 27,000 deaths from guns each year — a number down from its height of more than 39,000 in 1993, more needs to be done to prevent assailants like Tucson suspect Jared Loughner from getting a hold of weapons.

“A man our Army rejected as unfit for service; a man one of our colleges deemed too unstable for studies; a man apparently bent on violence, was able to walk into a store and buy a gun,” he lamented.

The president went on that “almost all gun owners in America are highly responsible … and that’s something that gun-safety advocates need to accept.”

“Likewise,” he added, “advocates for gun owners should accept the awful reality that gun violence affects Americans everywhere, whether on the streets of Chicago or at a supermarket in Tucson.

Obama suggested three areas for reform: enforcement of gun control laws already on the books through better implementation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; rewards for states that keep the best data — “and therefore do the most to protect our citizens”; and a faster and nimbler network that provides “an instant, accurate, comprehensive and consistent system for background checks to sellers who want to do the right thing.”

And while the president acknowledged that some gun owners will never support his call, he argued that weak background checks are bad for police officers, law-abiding citizens and gun sellers.

“If we’re serious about keeping guns away from someone who’s made up his mind to kill, then we can’t allow a situation where a responsible seller denies him a weapon at one store, but he effortlessly buys the same gun someplace else,” he wrote, in reference to the “gun show loophole” that gun control advocates say enables people to avoid background checks.

Original Source – Fox News

American Love of Firearms Continues as Gun Sales Continue to Climb

2011-09-12T12:57:00.003-07:00

NEWTOWN, Conn –(Ammoland.com)- The January 2011 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 784,856 is an increase of 9.7 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 715,309 in January 2010.

For comparison, the unadjusted January 2011 NICS figure of 1,312,544 is an increase of 18 percent over the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,112,312 in January 2010.

The adjusted NICS data was derived by NSSF by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Kentucky and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases.

While not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provides a more accurate picture of current market conditions. Questions concerning NSSF-adjusted NICS data should be directed to NSSF research at 203-426-1320.

In addition to other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions of firearms sales and transfers on new and used handguns and long guns. Click here for additional information on NICS or to view a complete set of the current monthly NICS reports. NSSF members may access historical monthly NICS reports in the members log-in section of nssf.org.

Original Source – AmmoLand.com

Gun Control Background Checks 10 years after Columbine

2011-09-12T12:26:00.001-07:00

The mention of Columbine still strikes fear and brings back memories of the awful tragedy that befell on the victims on that fateful day. It is also now synonymous as being the worst school shooting incident in American history.

Colorado – April 20, 1999. Students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a rampage and killed 12 students including a teacher. They were armed with guns, pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails, and had propane bombs set up around the school. They later killed themselves forty-five minutes after the massacre began. It was later discovered that they obtained three of their weapons from an 18-year-old acquaintance at a gun show, where their friend was not subjected to any background checks.

The incident then sparked a national debate on gun control, and later resulted in mandatory background checks for purchases at gun shows. The "Gun show loophole" was one of many ways Americans could acquire firearms without the hassle of background checks and rid of any waiting time.

Shorty after Columbine, Colorado voters passed a ballot to close the "Gun show loophole" and required dealers to run criminal background checks to purchasers as they would if they were buying at retail stores, but even with the legislation approved there were still ways for potential gun buyers to purchase firearms at gun shows without going through background checks. Some patrons of these gun shows sometimes bring their own guns for sale and sell them to other attendees in private deals not involving any licensed dealer, therefore escaping any background checks that are supposed to be mandatory for any purchase.

A rally was held Monday to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of the incident. The event was sponsored by Colorado Ceasefire, a gun control group. The group is pushing for stricter gun controls laws as well as the strict implementation of current law specifically the mandatory background checks on purchases made at gun shows.

The Brady Campaign, also a gun control group is lobbying for stricter gun control laws. Numerous other groups have also come into being following the Columbine incident and the massacre two years ago at Virginia Tech where 32 people were killed by a lone gunman. A recent report has also shown that 32 people die in gun/shooting related incidents every day in America.

Unemployment Gives Rise to New Job Scams

2011-09-12T12:15:00.001-07:00

The global recession and continually growing unemployment rate spells disaster for most of us. Unfortunately it is also opens up opportunities for identity thieves and scammers. Like vultures, these people like to prey on the desperate and the needy.

In the past, most Job scams were unsophisticated and transparent that only the gullible would fall prey to. Most savvy job seekers would easily spot these scams that offer ridiculous salaries for little or no effort at all. A little company background check usually reveals these types of scams.

But recently scammers have been pulling out all the stops, and are developing trickier and more sophisticated ways to bait helpless individuals into their web of deceit.

Some of the trickiest new job scams to look out for are:

Payment Forwarding Scam

Scenario: You are contacted via phone or professional email by a US payment processing firm representing a foreign client. They probably got you information from an email or a resume you posted online.

Your so called “job” is to forward payments from US customers to the fake company’s overseas client, this will be from purchases made on eBay or on the clients own website. You will be required to send them the payment thru pay-pal, western union, wire transfers or thru sending checks by mail. A percentage of the payments transferred will be your commission or cut for your efforts.

This might sound like a great gig, but after a few weeks, expect a phone call or a visit from the police because US customers have not been receiving the items they purchased.

By using you to forward payments, the scammers can then supply their victims with a US address to gain their trust. If you are caught participating in this sort of scam, it is possible for you to be prosecuted or sued and you might end up in jail.

Background Check Scam

Scenario: Recently you applied for a job, posted you resume online or perhaps replied to a wanted ad online, you are then called up by the company’s human resource or recruitment department.

You are told that you might be what they’re looking for; you just need to submit to a routine employment background check for you to proceed to the second interview.

They then ask for your social security number and permission to run a background check, which most companies can legitimately and will routinely do. After a few days you call up the company and they say that they have never heard of you or that the person you spoke with doesn’t work there at all.

Always be wary of phone calls asking you for your social security number or other personal information. Do a little background checking yourself whether it be online or by calling the company’s numbers to make sure they exist or not.

Travel Discount Scam

Scenario: You are called by a scammer pretending to be a large or familiar company’s human resource representative. You are told that they found your resume online or from a headhunter and they require you to come in for an interview immediately. This company’s is usually on a different state or overseas.

They will then inform you that unfortunately they will not shoulder your travel expenses but will tell you that you can avail of their discounted corporate airfare if you purchase you ticket via the company’s travel department.

You are then asked for your credit card information or to wire in a payment. Then they ask for your number so they can call you back with your ticket and flight information. But you never get that call back.

You phone the company but they say they never heard of you or of the name of the person who you spoke with.

Before giving out information, it is good to do some investigating and background checking yourself to see if the company is legit. You could also ask to give them a call back before giving the person your information so you can make other phone calls to make sure that the person is indeed representing the company.

More than 800 Firearm Buyers on Terrorist Watch List Approved to Buy Guns

2011-09-12T12:06:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – The FBI Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) uses a terrorist watch list along with its other factors for screening potential firearm buyers. An updated report shows that the terrorist watch list contains 400,000 people according to the FBI, but they do not out right deny any application just because a purchasers name is on the list.

In the last five years more that 800 firearm purchasers were approved to buy guns even though their names appear on the terrorist watch list. A report from the associated press mentioned that simply being on the watch list does not automatically disqualify a person from purchasing firearms. Under the Brady Gun Background Check Law, being on the watch list is not part of the nine factors for disqualification, like felony convictions and mental disabilities.

Between February 2004 and February 2009 more than 900 gun background checks with names showing up on the watch list were conducted, and out of the 900 only 98 applications were denied and the rest approved. The List is maintained by the FBI and used by local, state, and federal agencies, it is used as a reference to identify suspected terrorist within the population. This number of approved purchases has raised concerns from gun safety and second amendment advocates, stating the use and significance of having such a list and not properly using it.

Another issue that is met with much debate is the number of names the list contains. Over the past two years, there had been applications filed by at least 830 people who believe they have been listed by mistake. Worse of all, you cannot confirm if you are on the watch list unless you purchase a firearm yourself and go through standard background checks to find out. They also do not disclose how a person's name ends up on the watch list. Been to any rallies lately? It just might get you on the list!