Melbourne‘s bikie war is teetering on the brink after an ex-gangster was shot at a funeral and his ally was brutally bashed in the space of a week.
Ex-Mongols bikie Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim has issued a warning from his hospital bed with a photo of his bullet-riddled chest after he was attacked during his cousin’s funeral procession on Saturday.
The 32-year-old wrote alongside the picture: ‘Allah is bigger than all these flops, they’ll get there (sic) day.’
Four bullet holes were evident in the image in a diagonal line across his chest.
Abdulrahim was dumped from the Mongels Melbourne chapter last year alongside Toby Mitchell and their allies, Mark Balsillie and Jason Addison.
Police are investigating whether low level members of the gang are behind the latest attack acting on commands from senior hierarchy within the club.
The 32-year-old wrote: ‘Allah is bigger than all these flops, they’ll get there (sic) day,’ alongside the topless picture. Four bullet holes in a diagonal line across his chest were evident in the image
Ex-Mongols bikie Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim has issued a warning from his hospital bed with a photo of his bullet-riddled chest after he was attacked during his cousin’s funeral procession on Saturday
Just a week before Abdulrahim was set upon, Addison was brutally bashed at a motorbike show at the Knowsley-Barnadown Rd raceway.
The 57-year-old presented to hospital with serious facial injuries. A photo of the aftermath show Addison bloodied and bruised, with his eyes so swollen he can hardly open them
The 57-year-old later presented to hospital with serious facial injuries. A photo of the aftermath show Addison bloodied and bruised, with his eyes so swollen he can hardly open them.
‘At this stage it appears a targeted attack and parties are believed to be known to one another,’ a police spokeswoman said.
There are now concerns Melbourne’s underworld is on track to explode like it has in Sydney in the past 18 months.
One gangland source told The Herald Sun: ‘This isn’t going to stop.’
Abdulrahim was shot while driving his $300,000 Mercedes G-Class during his cousin’s funeral procession near Fawkner Cemetery, in Melbourne’s north, on Saturday.
While the assailants did manage to shoot him several times in the chest, Abdulrahim has no life-threatening injuries. He has damage to his lungs, liver and kidney.
Police are also investigating whether Abdulrahim fired any shots back.
The Mazda SUV used during the hit was captured on fire a short distance from the scene. Police also reportedly found the gun and clothing dumped nearby.
Just a week before Abdulrahim was set upon, Addison (pictured) was brutally bashed at a motorbike show at the Knowsley-Barnadown Rd raceway
Abdulrahim was unceremoniously dumped from the Mongels Melbourne chapter last year alongside Toby Mitchell and their allies, Mark Balsillie and Jason Addison
Early investigations suggest this hit was the work of amateurs and, while police are exploring multiple lines of inquiry, it appears as though it could have been the work of new or soon-to-be Mongols members.
Abdulrahim and his associates were booted from the club for supposed ‘treachery’, with one underworld source describing the four men as ‘targets’.
Premier Daniel Andrews warned any person found to have links to these crimes will face ‘the full force of the law’.
‘I’m very confident that the people involved in this completely unacceptable behaviour will feel the full force of the law,’ he said.
‘This is just not on. I send my best wishes to those members of the public who’ve been caught up in this.
‘Victoria Police Command takes issues of gangs and gun crime very, very seriously, just as I do.
‘I’m confident that Victoria Police … have the laws, they’ve got the powers and they’ve got the people to keep us safe.’
Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward regarding both attacks as they frantically work to avoid widespread carnage like in Sydney.
Bodies have been piling up in the Harbour City in the past 18 months, with 13 contract killings linked to the bitter feud between the Hamzy and Alameddine crime clans.
Bodies have been piling up in the Harbour City in the past 18 months with at least a dozen contract killings linked to the bitter feud between the Hamzy and Alameddine crime clans
The highly-planned hits – which have sometimes involved using secret tracking devices attached to cars – have been so precisely executed that investigators are mostly powerless to stop the war from escalating.
Terrified witnesses are are often too scared to speak over fears of retaliation, making it nearly impossible to prosecute the perpetuators.
In a desperate move to quell the violence, state police are teaming up with the Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies in a new ‘super taskforce’ dubbed Erebus.
Since August 2020 there have been 13 murders linked to the turf war between the Hamzy and Alameddine crime families.