BAGHDAD, June 1: Iraqis ignored a demand to turn in their weapons Sunday as the US-led administration began a two-week countdown to the imposition of new firearm controls in a bid to stem post-war lawlessness.

None of the collection points in the capital visited by AFP reported any weapons had been handed in Sunday, despite three days of announcements on coalition radio.

But Iraqis questioned by AFP expressed astonishment at the policy, saying they would be unwilling to give up their treasured weapons despite the pending ban.

“Why should anyone want to just give away their weapon when they can sell it for good money?” said Arkan al-Zebaki, waving a 1950s vintage Webley & Scott pistol at Baghdad’s open-air arms market which has maintained an underground existence despite repeated US raids.

“In any case why would any self-respecting Iraqi want to turn in their weapon to an American, particularly at a police station?”

Fellow arms dealer Abbas Fadhel agreed. “For us a weapon is a badge of honour,” he said. “Even Saddam didn’t dare to take away our weapons.”

Fadhel has only pistols and ammunition on display for fear of another US raid or a robbery in the ultra-lawless looters’ market.

But he said he has mortars for 75 dollars and rocket-propelled grenades for 100 dollars in his home just 10 minutes away.

Another arms dealer, Faris Mohammad, said it was too early to impose the weapons crackdown.

“I’m only selling weapons here because I lost my job when they abolished the defence ministry,” he said.

“If the Americans could give people jobs, then the problem would right itself.”—AFP