By Janet Fife-Yeomans
The Daily Telegraph
May 07, 2009 12:00am
THE leader of Sydney's radical Middle Eastern street gang - Asesinoz MC - yesterday accused Australians of racism.
The 29-year-old, who calls himself Sam "The Assassin", defended the Parramatta-based gang's violent image in its YouTube videos and MySpace site.
They promote anti-Australian sentiment and flag burning.
"There are a handful of good Australians but most are racist by assuming Lebanese people are responsible for all crimes," he told The Daily Telegraph, speaking publicly for the first time.
"When they see a Middle Eastern walking down the street they assume they are Lebanese.
"I am half Lebanese and half Iraqi but I want the public and the police to know this: Don't forget about the Persians, Iraqis, Afghanis, Turks etc . . . because they do crimes too. That is why we have posted these videos up."
The president of one of the city's newest street gangs, he said he was known as Sam Asesinoz, which means assassin in Spanish, although it was not his real name.
On the gang's MySpace site, he warns: "Now we can't be f. . . . . with, coz we will take your life, we are the true soldiers."
He revealed yesterday that the Asesinoz MC had 70 members.
Senior police are concerned about the growth of gangs among young Middle Eastern men and have identified them, including Asesinoz MC and the Muslim Brotherhood Movement, as recruiting grounds for bikie gangs.
Mr "Asesinoz" said police, who have linked the gang to violence and vandalism, should be worried.
"Our goal is to make a name for ourselves," he said. "The things we do (are) the reason why we are called a gang.
"And what we do keeps the Asesinoz reputation up and it lets everyone know that we are the last people that should be f. . . . . with."
Bikie push to recruit teenagers
By Janet Fife-Yeomans and Kara Lawrence
The Daily Telegraph
May 06, 2009 12:00am
SYDNEY'S Middle Eastern youth gangs have become recruitment grounds for outlaw bikies - with allegiances split along religious lines.
Senior police sources revealed they are extremely concerned about the emergence of what they call the Muslim "feeder" gangs.
Youths of Middle Eastern background have become easy pickings for bikie gangs seeking to boost numbers to gain supremacy over rival gangs.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement have even dropped the Koran from their colours, replacing it with a Harley-Davidson logo.
The 600-strong MBM, the emblem of which features two crossed swords, is made up of young, predominantly Shi'a Muslims from Sydney's southwest. It is feeding membership of the Comanchero bikie gang whose boss, Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi, is a Shi'ite.
Bail bid fails for Mick Hawi
Police intelligence identified Asesinoz MC - which changed its name recently from the Parra Boyz and whose members are mainly Sunni - as being aligned with Notorious.
Asesinoz MC boasts of its extremist Islamic views on YouTube videos and promotes anti-Australian sentiment including flag-burning and statements like: "F. . . the police" and "Asesinoz MC is now targeting Aussies".
Asesinoz MC is close to Notorious because the bikie gang grew out of a split in the local Parramatta chapter of the Nomads. The Bandidos have joined forces with the Brothers for Life street gang, based in Auburn where the Bandidos have a strong presence.
Racism was becoming a growing factor in the bikie feuds, according to sources. "There's Notorious and Commanchero against the Hells Angels, who they call the skips, the whiteys," a source said.
In other disturbing developments, police are aware that gang members in jail are being groomed to take over leadership roles when they are released because the gangs are concerned the Government's new anti-bikie laws might take out their present leaders.
"They are now engaged in a bit of forward planning," a source said.
One identity believed to be the brains behind Notorious, former nightclub doorman Michael Ibrahim, is said to be recruiting prisoners up for release from Parklea jail, where he is serving a 6½-year manslaughter sentence.
Nomads boss arrested for `abduction'
By Kara Lawrence
The Daily Telegraph
May 07, 2009 11:20am
SYDNEY'S most notorious bikie, Hassan "Sam" Ibrahim, has been charged today over the alleged abduction of a 15-year-old boy.
The boy was allegedly confronted while walking home, punched in the face and bundled into Ibrahim's car at 7.40pm on April 1 at Merrylands, in a case of apparent mistaken identity.
Police say he suffered facial cuts and a broken tooth.
The alleged abduction followed an attempted break-in at the Greystanes home of Ibrahim's estranged wife, during which she obtained a loose description of a youth responsible.
Acting on that, Ibrahim, 43, allegedly singled out the 15-year-old victim.
It will be alleged he drove the boy to a park where he questioned him over the attempted break-in, before he and two other males took him to Ibrahim's wife's home.
She allegedly told them the abducted boy was not the person who tried to break in.
The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad arrested Ibrahim, 43, of Merrylands, around 10am this morning.
He is the former head of the Parramatta chapter of the Nomads and was released from prison late last year after being acquitted on charges relating to a bikie shootout.
More recently he escaped weapons charges.
Police have charged him with kidnapping and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.
He was refused bail and is due to appear before Fairfield Local Court this afternoon.