How a foiled terror plot prompted calls for gun law reform in peaceful Iceland

euronews.com:

An averted terrorist plot and recent shootings in Reykjavík put guns in Iceland in the spotlight, sparking conversations about whether the Nordic nation should tighten its gun laws and give more leeway to police investigating crimes.

Iceland is renowned for its safe society, regularly topping lists as one of the most peaceful countries in the world. 

While gun violence is rare, an alleged terrorist plot and three recent shootings shocked Icelanders.

On 21 September, four Icelandic men were arrested in Reykjavík, alleged to have engaged in producing 3D-printed weapons and to have conspired to use these weapons against unnamed government offices.

In raids last month, police seized dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Two men are currently in police custody, and two have been released.

The recent headlines have sent shockwaves through Iceland. 

“When the news came out about the alleged terrorist plot, you could feel the alarm in society,” said Helgi Gunnlaugsson, professor of criminology at the University of Iceland. 

“It came out of the blue; we don’t have these types of problems in Iceland.”

Last month’s terror plot arrests come on the heels of a shooting in Blönduós in north Iceland in August that left two people dead and one person injured and two other shootings in February. 

It comes amid a surge in the number of semi-automatic weapons being imported into Iceland. Police figures show there were 252 such firearms imported in 2020, up from 19 the year before, two in 2018 and none during the previous two years. 

While Iceland is known for its peacefulness, gun ownership is surprisingly high in Iceland.

There are an estimated 106,000 guns held by civilians in Iceland -- about one for every three people -- and