Gangland detectives investigate theory that targeted Rami Iskander planned to avenge uncle’s murder

Detectives investigating Rami Iskander’s death in southwestern Sydney are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including whether he was the target for planning a revenge attack, the ABC has understood.

Most important points:

Rami Iskander was fatally shot in front of his home in Belmore on Saturday morning. Another line of investigation is whether Iskander was involved in the shooting of Comancheros Tarek Zahed and brother Omar last week.

Iskander was shot in front of his home on Knox Street in Belmore on Saturday, just before 4 a.m.

A line of inquiry under investigation is whether the 23-year-old was the target for avenging the fatal shooting of his uncle, underworld figure Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad, who was gunned down in Greenacre last month.

Another theory is whether Iskander was involved in the shooting of senior Comanchero bikie Tarek Zahed, 41, and younger brother Omar at an Auburn gym last Tuesday.

Thirty-nine-year-old Omar died while his older brother was stable at Westmead Hospital.

Senior detectives are also investigating whether all three attacks are related.

Rami Iskander was shot multiple times outside his home in Belmore. (ABC News)

NSW Deputy Prime Minister and Police Secretary Paul Toole described the Belmore shooting as a “treacherous crime” and promised a crackdown on gang violence.

“Our police will stay on the scene, keep the pace and continue to bring these criminals to justice,” said Mr. Toole.

“This is about retaliation for some of these gang wars in Sydney that we are seeing… but we will not tolerate this behavior.

Mr. Toole said Operation Hawk – a police task force set up to tackle organized crime in Sydney – has resulted in more than 250 arrests and more than 800 indictments since its launch in October last year.

“70 firearms have been taken off the street … we have taken more than 2 million dollars’ worth of drugs off the street,” he said.

At least 11 people have died in gang-related crimes in the state in less than two years.

Shadow Police Secretary Walt Secord has accused the state government of failing in its fight against organized crime.

“We have a situation in western Sydney where gang violence is rampant,” Secord said.

“The police have lost control of the streets. It is time for the Prime Minister to intervene.

“Had this happened in Sydney’s east or north coast, the arrests would have been made long ago.”

Some residents of Belmore, where the deadly shooting occurred on Saturday, called for more action by the police and the state government to stem the violence.

†[The police and the government] have to take it seriously now,” said one resident.

†[There’ve been] too much [killings]†

“I used to live in Guildford, and that’s why I left Guildford, and now it’s the same story here.”

Posted 1-hour ago1 hour ago Sago 15 May 2022 at 12:41 p.m., 54 minutes ago Updated five at 12:47 p.m.