Comancheros criticise police response

The head of the Comancheros bikie gang says police are more concerned about saving
face for failing to stop a fatal brawl at Sydney airport than ending gang violence.
Comancheros' president Mick Hawi on Thursday said he'd made contact with other bikie
gang leaders in the hope of staging peace talks that would allay public safety
fears.
"I have had contact with other persons of influence, they have a similar attitude,
however, have not spoken up," Mr Hawi said in a statement, issued by his lawyers.
He went on to criticise NSW Police over their response to escalating bikie violence,
including Sunday's brawl at Sydney airport involving his group and the Hells Angels,
in which Anthony Zervas, 29, was bludgeoned to death.
Four Comancheros were refused bail in a Sydney court on Wednesday on charges of
affray stemming from the brawl.
Mr Hawi has since barred all his members from wearing their gang colours or riding
their bikes until further notice in a bid to ease public fears.
"Remarks by police are a face-saving exercise for their failure to stop what
happened on Sunday," Mr Hawi said.
"Police are desperate to win back the confidence of the public.
"The course taken by police to criticise genuine efforts by other persons of
influence, and I, are unhelpful.
"The question is: what is more important ... a cover-up for Sunday or that the
conflict ends."
On Monday, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told bikies if they "want to act like
terrorists, we'll deal with them like they're terrorists".
Comment on Mr Hawi's claims has been sought from NSW Police State Crime Command.
However, prior to the bikie leader's latest statement, NSW Premier Nathan Rees said
neither he, nor police, were going to sit back and allow gang leaders to sort out
their own problems.
The high-level bikie meeting "probably should have happened some time ago," Mr Rees
added.
"It's gone beyond that, that's why we are fast-tracking these laws," he told reporters.
Mr Rees said he still hoped to have a draft of laws, which could make it illegal to
be a bikie gang member, completed by next week.
"I'm not going to allow the safety of the public to be predicated on them coming
together," he said.
"That's why we are expediting the consideration of these laws."
The police crackdown on senior bikie members has continued with officers arresting
another senior gang member.
A 34-year-old man, understood to be a high-level office bearer with the Notorious
gang, was arrested after police allegedly found 26 Xanax brand sleeping tablets in
his possession without a prescription.
He is due in Hornsby Local Court on May 6.
Thursday's arrest follows that of Bandidos sergeant-at-arms Mahmoud Dib, 27, who
briefly faced Burwood Local Court on Tuesday where he was refused bail.
Dib, whose Auburn home was shot at on March 16, was charged over a loaded .45
calibre semi-automatic pistol found in a car at Guildford that same day.
The Bandidos are said to be locked in a dispute with Notorious, whose members don't
ride bikes.
Notorious has also been implicated by police in at least two recent drive-by shootings.
A funeral service for Anthony Zervas will take place on Friday afternoon.