12 weapons found in Palestinian embassy in Prague

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

PRAGUE (AP) - Police say they discovered a total of 12 illegal weapons at the Palestinian embassy complex where a possible booby-trapped safe killed the ambassador.

Police spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova declined to provide more details on Sunday, citing an ongoing investigation.

Ambassador Jamal al-Jamal, 56, died Wednesday after an embassy safe exploded. The career diplomat had only started his posting in October.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140105/DAB4ON3G3.html

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Firemen lay on the ground near the residence of Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jamel al-Jamal, in Prague on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. The ambassador died in an explosion that occurred when he opened an office safe that officials say had been left untouched for more than 20 years. A Palestinian official says foul play is not suspected in today's death of the Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic. (AP Photo / CTK, Katerina Sulova) SLOVAKIA OUT

[Scuba]

1. A couple questions? What makes the weapons illegal?

Does the US have booby-trapped safes in our embassies?

How are US Marines and other security personnel armed in our embassies?



I hope this incident isn't used to fan the flames of anti-Palestinians.

[Berlin Expat]

2. Illegal in the sense

that the firearms weren't registered with the federal police.

Private possession of firearms is legal here, as are concealed carry permits, though getting a CCP isn't so easy here. You basically have to demonstrate military-level proficiency with a firearm on a police firearms training range, you have to be able to field-strip and reassemble your firearm in a short period of time, as well as obtain a clean bill of health from a psychiatrist, if the police feel hinky about the person applying for the CCP. And after all that, it's still at the discretion of the police.

But other than that, lots of Czechs have long firearms, mostly for hunting, typically shotguns for pheasant and waterfowl hunting.

[Scuba]

3. Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to write a useful response.

[Berlin Expat]

4. No problem.

[Maedhros]

5. Question: Isn't the Palestinian Embassy considered to be Palestinian soil?

Czech laws wouldn't apply, would they?

[Berlin Expat]

6. No. Extraterritoriality

is often common misunderstood.

There is a common misconception that Embassies and Consulates have extraterritoriality. As anecdotal evidence of this misconception, people will often say things like, “the US Embassy sits upon United States soil.” For the most part, this is not the case as extraterritoriality is not conferred upon an Embassy or Consulate, but in some situations extraterritoriality may be created by Treaty. That being said, members of diplomatic legations (Ambassadors, Representatives, Consuls, Vice Consuls, Deputy Ambassadors, and Charges D’Affaires) may be accorded extraterritorial status within the foreign state to which they have been accredited. Also, the property of such representatives may have extraterritorial status. For example, an official diplomatic pouch will not be subject to search and seizure by a country other than the country with ownership of the pouch.

Diplomatic missions located in the Czech Republic have to follow Czech laws, unless there's a special agreement between the Czech Republic and the other country.

http://integrity-legal.com/legal-blog/miscellaneous/laws-and-rules-regarding-extraterritoriality/

[Maedhros]

7. Thank you! That was very helpful. [n/t]

[Pterodactyl]

8. Ooooopsie!