German minister planning semi-automatic gun ban

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to ban private ownership of semi-automatic firearms and require licences for other weapons, the Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported on Monday, reported dpa.

The reported plans come after the violence at New Year's Eve in several German cities and the discovery in December of a suspected right-wing coup attempt.

A draft law reportedly states that shotguns and crossbows, especially favoured by the far-right Reich Citizens group, could only be obtained with a weapons licence, the newspaper said, referring to a 48-page draft proposal.

Faeser had spoken out before the clashes on New Year's Eve for a tightening of the weapons law. New Year's eve celebrations resulted in policemen and firefighters being attacked by firecrackers and rockets in several cities.

The attacks were particularly fierce in some Berlin neighbourhoods.

The gun rights debate gained momentum after the arrest of 25 suspected members of a terrorist group linked to the Reich Citizens movement on December 7. They had allegedly planned to carry out a coup.