Sydney bikies `flying in reinforcements`

Sydney's bikie gangs are flying in reinforcements and police are braced for the
prospect of more violence after a bikie's brother was bludgeoned to death at Sydney
airport.
As police set up a 75-member taskforce, gangs are stockpiling weapons and
explosives, and flying in support from interstate and overseas, a man with links to
motorcycle gangs says.
The source, who spoke to ABC radio but declined to be recorded, said the recent
bombing of a Hells Angels clubhouse in Sydney was only a test of bomb-making
capabilities.
He also said gang members were laughing at Comanchero chief Mick Hawi's attempt to
bring together gang bosses for peace talks.
Comanchero and Hells Angels gang members were involved in a vicious brawl at Sydney
Airport on Sunday in which Anthony Zervas, 29, was killed.
A funeral service has been held in Sydney for Mr Zervas, who was with his Hells
Angel brother when he was fatally attacked at the domestic airport.
Four Comancheros have so far been charged with affray over the brawl.
On Friday, a fifth man, also believed to be a Comanchero, was also charged.
Amid the outbreak of gang violence, Mr Hawi has barred all his members from wearing
their gang colours or riding their bikes until further notice, in a bid to ease
public fears.
The ABC's source added that bikies had been stealing cars to use in a spate of
drive-by shootings.
In one shooting incident last week, two males inside a western Sydney house were
injured as six were sprayed with bullets.
NSW police have warned bikies and their associates they can expect "in-your-face"
policing as long as they continue to disregard public safety and the law.
Strike Force Raptor was officially launched on Friday in response to the violent
escalation of feuding between the rival Hells Angels and Comancheros.
"Strike Force Raptor is a high-impact, proactive response that will target outlaw
motorcycles gang members and their associated criminal enterprises," Gang Squad
Commander Mal Lanyon said.
But he said the strike force wouldn't stop with bikie gang members.
"We will go after their associates as well until anyone found to be exercising such
callous disregard for the law and for community safety is brought to justice.
"This is on-the-ground and in-your-face policing and the NSW Police force will stop
at nothing to target ... criminal activity (by bikie gangs).
"Officers will target everything from traffic offences and bail compliance, to
firearm and security licensing, to drug offences and illegal business practices, to
violence and retribution."
Strike Force Raptor adds to the 50 officers already attached to the Police Gang Squad.
"There will be specific dedicated taskings that will allow us to actually go in and
target individual groups ... and we'll look at dealing with them so we can disrupt
and dismantle their activity," NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told
reporters.
The airport brawl had crossed the line and a quick police response was necessary,
the commissioner said.
"They've reached a new low when we start seeing the number of people that were
traumatised ... in a busy airport," he said.
"That's when I'd suggest that their behaviour had got to the point where an
extraordinary response is required and that's what you've seen here."
Mr Scipione defended the decision to launch the strike force at the same time
Anthony Zervas was being buried in Sydney on Friday.
"That is a funeral, this is about a strike force that is going to deal with outlaw
motorcycle gang activity," he said.
He added: "We are not expecting any trouble at that funeral but we have got
sufficient resources if we do have trouble."
Det Supt Lanyon said police took reports that bikie gangs were stockpiling weapons
very seriously.
"There is a number of things that are taken on by police that the media don't hear
about and certainly the public don't hear about it and it's important we keep a
number of these things confidential to ensure that we keep receiving information and
we actually disturb these things before they take place," he said.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees has said he hopes to have a draft of new laws, which could
make it illegal to be a bikie gang member, completed by next week.
But solicitor Lesly Randle - representing Mr Hawi, who was reported to have been at
Sydney Airport during Sunday's brawl - told Fairfax Radio that police already had
sufficient powers to control criminal groups but failed to use them at the airport.
"It's a face-saving exercise on their part for failing to stop what happened on
Sunday," she said.
"It's a test on their part. The premier needs to win back the confidence of the
public. From what I've heard ... the public don't have much confidence in the
premier or the state at the moment."
Ms Randle said additional legislation was unnecessary.
"It appears that the agenda on the part of police is to use this as an exercise to
get more power, when they have existing powers that would suffice," she said.