The word is katana dammit.

LONDON (Reuters) - The government said Wednesday it would ban the sale of samurai swords because the weapons had been used in a number of serious, high-profile attacks.

The Home Office said the swords would be added to the Offensive Weapons Order from April next year, meaning they could not be imported, sold or hired.

However collectors of genuine Japanese swords and those used by martial arts enthusiasts would be exempt from the ban.

" In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons," Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said.

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" We recognize it is the cheap, easily available samurai swords which are being used in crime and not the genuine more expensive samurai swords which are of interest to collectors and martial arts enthusiasts."

The Association of Chief Police Officers said the swords were not a common weapon but they had been used in a number of significant incidents.

In 2000, Robert Ashman murdered a Liberal Democrat councilor at the offices of Cheltenham MP Nigel Jones, who was also seriously hurt in the attack.

A year earlier, Eden Strang seriously wounded 11 people when he went on the rampage with a samurai sword at a Roman Catholic Church near his home in Thornton Heath, south London.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Tim Castle)

Martial Arts practitioners and collectors exempt? If I get my ni-dan blackbelt from a 2 week correspondence course does that mean I' m a practitioner?

Stupid babysitting legislation.

Fucking fascists. I wouldn' t put up with that shit, you guys should all buy a bunch of Katanas just to show them who' s boss. Next thing you know our dicks will be illegal. Fucking feminists.

A year earlier, Eden Strang seriously wounded 11 people when he went on the rampage with a samurai sword at a Roman Catholic Church near his home in Thornton Heath, south London.

LOL George Carlin would call him a disgruntled worshipper.

Shit, I' ve got a sword. I stopped doing martial arts years ago, and I' ve only got the one so I cant be classed as a collector! Aww, gonna get arrested... and I really wanted to go on a rampage as well.

However, mines more of a ninja sword (its a straight short blade), does that count? Can I use that for rampages?

And I thought the US was the dumbest country in the world.

Shit, I' ve got a sword. I stopped doing martial arts years ago, and I' ve only got the one so I cant be classed as a collector! Aww, gonna get arrested... and I really wanted to go on a rampage as well.

However, mines more of a ninja sword (its a straight short blade), does that count? Can I use that for rampages?

There' s more swords in my house than there are windows, all of which are fully functional, or have historical value. Not Chinese knock-offs. I' d be alright.

If you' ve got a straight-bladed " ninja sword" Chopoulo, I suggest ditching it in a river somewhere. Your coolness factor hangs in the balance!

George Carlin would call him a disgruntled worshipper.

lol. Was I the only one that got Monty-Python-esque visions of a crazed man lopping off limbs in a Catholic church with a katana?

Next they' ll ban working out so people don' t get too strong and overpower one another.

Why do you think steroids are illegal?

Because they' re not healthy. They kill your liver and turn you into a raging ball of undirected anger. It has nothing to do with muscle-mass.

If you' ve got a straight-bladed " ninja sword" Chopoulo, I suggest ditching it in a river somewhere. Your coolness factor hangs in the balance!

But.. but its made in Taiwan. Heh, you' re right, but it was cool back when I waa at uni!

Next they' ll ban working out so people don' t get too strong and overpower one another.

No. We have McDonalds to keep them in order....and Walmart keeps them in order...but who keeps walmart in order?

Satan.

You called?

I wonder what they are gonna ban next? Banning stuff normally just tends to make it worse.

I have my bunch of blunt katanas, though I think they would probably fall apart quicker than do some damage

I wonder what they are gonna ban next?

Penises lead to rape.

Penises lead to rape.

no, sexy skirts lead to rape, silly nubcake.

***ing feminists.

Beware the FemNazi' s.

Penises lead to rape. no, sexy skirts lead to rape, silly nubcake.

Yeah, penises just tend to be the rape weapon of choice!

no, sexy skirts lead to rape, silly nubcake.

Ah... unless you shout " surprise" first, in which case it isn' t rape at all.