British PM to call for EU-wide crackdown on illegal firearms

British Prime Minister David Cameron will call for an EU-wide crackdown on illegal trade in firearms to prevent terrorists from getting hold of weapons, Downing Street announced Sunday.

"The Prime Minister will call for an EU-wide ban on high-powered semi-automatic weapons at the European Council later this week, as part of a long term plan to counter terrorism," Downing Street said in a statement.

The EU summit, which begins Thursday in Brussels, "will discuss the EU's response to the terrorist attacks in Paris," added the statement.

Cameron has asked officials to draw up proposals to tackle the ongoing terrorist threat.

"The plan is set to include a number of measures to crack down on the illegal trade in firearms to prevent terrorists getting hold of weapons with which they seek to cause mass casualties," the statement noted.

Downing Street said that proposed measures would also include greater sharing of ballistics data, a new plan to improve firearms intelligence in the western Balkans, tougher action to take firearms out of circulation and a clear implementation for all member states.

The prime minister will also call for greater efforts to tackle Daesh ideology and online radicalization.

"A terrorist threat in one country is a danger to all of us, so I believe there is more we must do together to tackle the terrorist threat posed by Daesh," Cameron said.

"We need to ensure that terrorists do not have the weapons with which they can wreak such tragedy," he urged.

Leaders of EU member States are expected to discuss terrorism, migration and Britain's EU membership renegotiation at the summit on Thursday and Friday in Brussels. Endit