Lighting fuse of drug gangs war

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au by Michelle Cazzulino Date Monday 16 March 2009

The cold-blooded daylight execution of drug boss Abdul Qadier Darwiche will inevitably lead to more bloodshed , a senior police source warned yesterday.

The shooting death of the 37-year-old has thrown a major criminal syndicate into disarray , with police warningh retribution was likely to follow ''within months''.

''The fact is , if [Darwiche's gang ] are going to remain major players in the crime game , they're going to have to reassert themselves ...their boss has been killed , so it's not a minor player and you can't just say , ''Give us $100,000 in blood money and we'll call it quits ' '', the source said yesterday.

''[Darwiche's] crew has a huge problem now in terms of face and it's alos likely to encourage those who have been sitting on the sidelines to take advantage of the instability.''

Those groups include members the rival family the Razzaks and three other gangs - the Telopea St Boys, The Auburn Boys and a merging crew that hails from the southern suburb of Arncliffe.

The escalation of Sydney's bloody turf wars harks back to the mid to late-90s , when the city criminal scene was dominated by standover man Danny Karam and his deputy Michael Kannan , whose enterprises ran to drug running , weapons trading , knee-cappings and murder.

Today , Karam is dead , Kanaan is serving three life sentences in Gouldburn's ''Supermax'' facility and the vicious battle for control of Sydney's illegal gun , car rebirthing and drug trades shoows no signs of abating.

The casualty list has been enormous and willingness to settle old scores seemingly never ending.

In the 11 years since Karam was slain , the police source said there had been ''20 to 30 murders and another 50 to 100 shootings'' as control was wrested away by one side , only to be clawed back by another.

The genesis of the criminal scene can be traced back to the emergence of gangs formed by members of the Raazak and Darwiche families , who were at war with the Bankstown based Telopes St Boys and former followers of Kanaan an Karam.

The escalating tensions reached their peak in 2003 with a series of drive-by shootings that culminated in the creation of Strikeforce Gain , which made several key arrests.

With many of the major players either dead or sentenced to long prison terms , a temporary ceasefire was unavoidable. That all changed with Saturday's execution.

With Abdul's brother Adnan ''Eddie'' Darwiche currently serving a life sentence for murder , Abdul's death leaves his associates in a precarious position.

Further complicating matters is the fact upto seven rocket launches , stolen from the Australian military and sold to Adnan Darwiche , have never been been recovered.

As shifting loyalties and long-held grudges continue to dominate personal relationships , old scores are likely to be settled in coming months , the police source said.

''When the first round of shootings began in the late 1990s , a lot of the guys were 15 or 16 at the time. What you have now is not a second generation they're just the younger ones becoming old enough to be shooters themselves ,'' he said.

''These people have been waiting to step into the void to settle old grudges. The feuds don't stop simply because someone goes to jail.''

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au author Paul Kent Tue 17 March 2009

Abdul Qadier Darwiche was a loving family man - if there was crime in his life he had left it behind.

This is what the dozen or so media , ordered behind a police barrier yesterday , were led to believe.

It only stands to reason police monitoring the funeral in unmarked cars also had also been told this.

And also the riot police , kept on standby at a nearby location.

In 2007 police alleged Darwiche was the head of a criminal syndicate.

His family maintained he was nothing more than a loving dad , so the media's invasion into their grief yesterday fuelled their anger.

At the roundabout on the corner of Wangee and Yangoora Rds in Lakemba yesterday a policeman maintained the family's wishes.

At the family's behest , he kept the media behind a public phone box.

When it was suggested it was unbelievable in today's world people had to be kept behind a barrier at a funeral for safety reasons , the officer joked ''and at your coronial inquest i'll say i advised him not to go past the phone box but...''

A liaison officer approached two uniformed police stationed nearby and said the anger inside the group was simmering. If the media wandered into the line of sight they were ready to go , he said.

This is Sydney , 2009 , at the funeral of Abdul Qadier Darwiche , family man. A funeral with choppers overhead. Cars rolled past all chrome rims and fat exhausts. Young men climbed for the front seats.

Sydney's last underworld funeral was in October 2008 - the death of Todd O'Conn.

or. Held at St Mary's Cathedral , Sydney's bikie gangs all agreed to drop their colours for the day. Instead they arrived in designer suits and black sunglasses.

Police photographers considered it a surveillance and gold mine. Yesterday provided similar opportunities , but was other wise completley different. Islamic women stiff with pride walked down the street in hijabs , making their way towards the mosque. Elder men in abayas , the full length Islamic gown , walked quietly with strength in their eyes.

The overwhelming sight though was the many young men joining them in athletic gear.

It carried an air of mennace.

They understood all to well that wider society pays attention to them only in times of trouble. So in their grief was anger. The combination between that and the unknown meant something felt not quite right.

Approaching 1pm , there came a rush. Hubdreds poured out of the Islamic centrenext door and into the Lakemba Mosque.

On their shoulders they carried the body of Abdul Qadier Darwiche , family man , in a white coffin covered in an Islamic shroud.

His body had been prepared next door according to Islamic ritual; cleansed and sprinkled with perfume , wrapped in a white gown and placved in the coffin. The shroud , containing Koranic verses relating to Darwiche's life , was placed over the coffin.

He was buried as soon as possible under Australian law.

Normally according to Islamic ritual , the body must be placed in the ground before sunset on the day of the death. If sunset has passed then , the following day.

Darwiche was 37 when he was gunned down on Saturday. Police performed an autopsy before the body was released and so yesterday was the earliest he could be buried.

he was carried on shoulders into the mosque and prayers were said over his body for nearly 45 minutes before he was carried to the hearse outside and taken under a police escort to Rookwood Cemetery.

Darwiche's body was removed from the coffin and placed in the ground on his right side , facing Mecca. As more prayers were said men pushed forward to throw dirt in the grave of Abdul Qadier Darwiche , dead at 37 family man.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au Author Kara Lawrence Tuesday march 17 2009

An alleged Sydney drug boss gunned down at the weekend may have been killed over a six-year-old murder.

Detectives are investigating links between Saturday's murder of Abdul Darwiche and trhe 2003 shooting of Ahmad Fahda at Punchbowl.

Detectives investigating Darwiche's slaying are already pursuing a ''strong line of inquiry'' and are confident of an early arrest of Darwiche's killer.

It is believed police have been investigating the activities of men who were connected to Fahda.

Fahda was shot 29 times as he stood next to a petrol bowser at a Punchbowl service station in October 2003. He was an associate of the Razzak family , rivals of the Darwiche clan.

Two associates of the Darwiches were convicted of Fahda's murder and are serving life sentences - but Abdul Darwiche was never charged with involvement in Fahda's murder.

Police now have descriptions of the unmasked man who drew a handgun and shot Darwiche , 37 , at the front of a small Bass Hill shopping centre.

The gunman is described as being of Middle Eastern appearance and aged in his 20s. Police said he has a stocky build , short black hair and was wearing a black T-Shirt. He escaped in a sliver Honda CRV 4WD. Darwiche's horrified wife watched the murder happen from inside the shopping centre.

It is believed a dispute occured between Darwiche and the man at a petrol station next door before Darwiche tried to flee in his own vehicle.

The attacker continued firing shots through the front windscreen.

Yesterday the dead man's brother , Albert , said his brother had been confronted by his killer moments before his death , and asked him to carry out the deed away from his family.

''He saw them , he knew they were coming for him ,'' Mr Darwiche said.

''He said to them , 'What ? Here?

''Then he went inside [the restaurant] and spoke to his wife. He told her to stay there , not to move.''

Mr Darwiche said the family and police were aware of the gunman's identity but would not name him. He denied it was related to drugs or gangs.

The Razzak - Darwiche war has been dead for years ,'' Albert Darwiche said.

''This has nothing to do with gangs and nothing to do with drugs.''

Homicide Squad Commander Geoff Beresford said police were confident of an arrest.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au Author Kara Lawrence Senior Crime Reporter

The brother of a man shot 29 times at a service station has emerged as the prime suspect in the murder of Sydney crime boss Abdul Darwiche.

And leaders of the Muslim community said yesterday Mohammed ''Blackie'' Fahda would be safer in custodythan out on the streets.

Fahda the younger brother of Ahmad Fahda who was gunned down in a hail of bullets at Punchbowl in 2003 , is wanted for questioning over the murder of drug kingpin Darwiche at Bass Hill on Saturday.

But Fahda has not been found since Darwiche was ambushed and shot a close range.

Two associates of the Darwiche family are serving life sentences for Ahmad Fahda's murder.

Muslim community leaders told the Daily Telegraph they had agreed to contact the brothers' father Abdul to urge him to get his son to contact police. Sources said Mr Fahda has been in Lebanon for the past two months.

The Muslim leaders claim that Mohammed Fahda's life is at risk from some in the community who may want to take the law into their own hands.

One Muslim community leader , who did not wish to be named , said it was well known in the community that Fahda was being sought for questioning by police from Strike Force Solomon.

Muslim leaders had decided that Abdul Fahda should be approached to try to get his son to present himself to police for his own safety.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au Author David Barrett and Bruce McDougall Sat March 21 2009

The older brother of murdered Sydney crime boss Abdul Darwiche was allegedly caught in a car with a loaded Glock pistol under the back seat and a list of names and addreresses for members of the rival Fahda family a Sydney court has heard.

Michael Darwiche , 40 , of Georges Hall , faced Bankstown Local Court yesterday on eight weapons charges including being armed with intent to commit an inditable offence.

Detectives from the Middle East-ern organised crime squad stopped Darwiche and an associate , Michael Darwick , 36 , of Punchbowl , on Salvia Ave , Bankstown , in Darwiche's BMW about 9pm on Thursday.

Police allege a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .40 calibre pistol under a back seat , a street directory and a list of five names and addresses for Fahda family members.

A newspaper cutting relating to the murder of Abdul Darwiche was also discovered , police alleged.

The Darwiche clan has been feuding with members of the Fahda and Razzak families since 2003.

Last Saturday , Darwiche's younger brother Abdul was gunned down in daylight at Bass Hill as his terrified family looked on.

Detectives are seeking 21-year-old Mohammed ''Blackie" Fahda in relation to Darwiche's murder. Fahda's brother Ahmad was shot 29 times by Darwiche associates in 2003.

A police statement of alleged facts tendered in court reveals the three famalies ''have previously and are currently suspected of being involved in varying levels of organised crime.''

''They are believed responsible for a numberof incidents involving violence , targeting the oppoising families and associates of these families ,'' the statement claimed.

Police allege that when they stopped the two men on Thursday night they told police they were going to a nearby McDonald's restaurant.

It is alleged that the pair may have been seeking retribution for Abdul Darwiche's murder.

''Police believe the accused was actively seeking out members of the Fahda family when stopped and would have used the firearmin the commission of a violent act towards those family members ,'' the police statement of facts alleged.

''Police strongly oppose the release of the accused as he poses a high risk to the safety of families he opposes and also the community which are placed at risk as a result of the blatant acts of violence used by the accused and his associates.''

In arguing for bail , Darwiche's barrister Michael Coroneos described the prosecution case as ''conjecture and speculation.''

He said his client was a family man , who had taken on the responsibility of looking after his brother's children since last Saturday's fatal shooting.

Magistrate Paul Falzon refused bail and Darwiche will facwe Central Local Court via audio visual link on May 14.

Darwick did not apply for bail.

He was charged with eight offences including being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and faces Central Local Court on Friday.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au Thursday April 2 - 2009

Two men have been charged by police investigating the murder of alleged Sydney drug boss Abdul Darwiche.

Darwiche , 37 , was killed in a hail of bullets outside a service station at Bass Hil on March 14 , allegedly as part of an ongoing feud between rival families.

Officers attached to the Middle East Organised Crime Squad stopped a number of vehicles in Sydney's southwest on Wednesday and arrested two men at Punchbowl.

A 21-year-old Riverwood man was charged over breach of bail and will appear at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday.

Detectives investigating Mr Darwiches murder are seeking 21-year-old Mohammed Fahda , described as ''extremely dangerous'', in connection with the killing.

On March 20 , Mr Darwiche's brother , Michael Darwiche appeared in Bankstown Local Court charged with being armed with intent to commit an inditable offence.

Documents presented to the court said he was the front seat passenger in a car stopped in Bankstown which contained a street directory and a list of names and addresses of members of the Fahda family.

The court was told a Glock 23 pistol was hidden under the back seat.

[Belangalo]

Article at dailytelegraph.com.au Friday May 22 - 2009

A man charged with plotting a revenge attack after the brazen daylight murder of his brother has withdrawn his bail application in the NSW Supreme Court.

Michael Darwiche told police he was en route to a McDonald's restaurant with a friend when he was found in a car with maps , names , addresses and a Glock 23 pistol under the back seat , five days after his brother's shooting.

Darwiche , 40 , is the brother of Abdul Darwiche , shot dead in front of his children near a Sydney service station on March 14. The killing reignited a long standing feud between the Darwiches and the rival Razzak and Fahda families.

Darwiche was the front passenger of a blue BMW stopped about 9pm on March 19 at Bankstown.