Ammon News - By Wael Al Jaraisheh

AMMONNEWS - The Ministry of Interior issued over 30 weapon permits in the past few weeks to deputies of the Lower House of Parliament, Ammon News learned.

The permits were issued for hand guns and pistols for over 30 Members of Parliament, sources said.

The decision to issue the permits was initially blocked by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, sources at the Ministry and the Lower House said, but two MPs managed to obtain a weapons registration permit.

Prime Minister Ensour had issued a memorandum on March 14 to the Minister of Interior noting the increasing numbers of requests for carrying and importing weapons and ammunition, and asked the Ministry to halt all permits and not issue any permits to MPs without the Prime Minister's knowledge.

The requests submitted by Parliamentarians included permits to import and carry weapons.

Ammon News repeatedly contacted the Ministry of Interior for a response in the past 48 hours, but its inquiries were not answered.

The law allows the Interior Ministry to issue permits for citizens to carry hand guns within defined regulations. Ammon News inquired whether the regulations were enforced on MPs in an effort to probe the increasing numbers of weapon permits issued to members of Parliament.