Police arrested a car driver who allegedly threatened a motorcyclist with a gun after the two vehicles came close to each other on Jl. Antasari Raya, South Jakarta, on Friday morning.

The South Jakarta Police traffic division head Comr. Pamudji said he received the report from Pripus, the motorcyclist, at 6:10 a.m. on Friday. Based on Pripus' information, the police were able to stop the car, a blue Toyota Yaris, at Blok O, South Jakarta.

The driver, Fadhil Satria, told police he borrowed the gun from a friend.

"The gun is an caliber-nine FN revolver with 12 bullets. Its license expired on Sept. 11 last year," Pamudji said, adding he had examined Fadhil's car and found no damage to it.

"It means the two vehicles did not graze each other," he said.

He said the police were still questioning Fadhil.

Kompas daily reported there were 7,798 civilian-owned guns in the country registered at the National Police in May this year. However, some 3,446 of the guns have expired licenses.

According to a National Police policy issued in 2006, all guns owned by civilians, including military officers, must be returned to and stored at police headquarters in an effort to reduce crime involving guns.

"Owners can extend the legal ownership of the guns but they should be kept at police headquarters," said spokesman of the National Police, Insp. Gen. Abubakar Nataprawira.

He said the owners could keep their guns for six months after their licenses expired, but after that, they would be considered illegal weapons.

Abubakar said the procedure to extend gun ownership licenses was not complicated; the owners just needed to fill out a police form.

"We urge gun owners to immediately register their weapons. The police have the authority to take stern measures against illegal gun owners," he said.

He said Fadhil could be charged and given a maximum punishment of the death penalty.

The National Police said there were 479 criminal cases involving guns between January and March, a 24.74 percent increase from the same period last year.

Abubakar warned gun smugglers that police were on high alert. He said they were also watching out for domestic gun producers.

West Java Police raided an illegal firearms workshop in Cipacing, Sumedang, on Tuesday and found FN revolvers and AK 47 semi-automatic rifles.

The police suspected the workshop owner had a network of other gun workshops in West Java.(ind)

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