Hamad crew a ‘live and active threat’ as police fear mass casualty attack

The Hamad crime syndicate remains a “live and active threat” in Melbourne’s underworld war and to the safety of the public, with police telling a court they fear a mass casualty event despite a slew of arrests and operations against the top-ranked gang.

The police’s claim was made during a bail hearing for suspected lieutenant Majid Alibadi, who has been accused of orchestrating a campaign of extortion, firebombing attacks and witness intimidation as part of the so-called tobacco war on behalf of exiled kingpin Kazem Hamad.

Majid Alibadi.Credit: Jason South

The gang has allegedly been linked by police intelligence and underworld sources to more than 70 firebombings, numerous shootings and at least two murders since Hamad was released from prison in mid-2023 and deported to his native Iraq.

Alibadi, who was arrested and charged with extortion and arson offences in January, has been labelled by police as Hamad’s “regional operations manager”.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Matthew Lindsay made the claims while testifying in the Magistrates’ Court on Thursday in a bid to prevent Alibadi from being bailed back into the community after spending 90 days at a residential treatment facility.

“While Victoria Police is doing the utmost to protect the citizens of Victoria, [the Hamad syndicate] is very much a live and active threat, and that they still have very deep reserves of resources which still pose a considerable risk to the Victorian community,” Lindsay told the court.

Kazem “Kaz” Hamad in about 2015.

“By releasing a lieutenant of the Hamad syndicate to the community in this manner, we would be greatly increasing the risk to the Victorian people.”

This included the potential for a “mass casualty incident” to occur, Lindsay testified.

“I don’t think I’m using any hyperbole by saying we are lucky that there has not been a mass casualty incident in relation to the alleged conduct that was incited by and facilitated by Mr Alibadi. We have him providing the means and the direction to light fires at the bottom of apartment buildings.”

Alibadi faces more than a dozen charges of arson and extortion related to a string of attacks on businesses linked to the warring factions in the tobacco war, including the Karizma restaurant in Docklands, a Tullamarine function centre and a tobacco shop in Glenroy.

Alibadi has spent the past 90 days in a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility at a program that cost upwards of $36,000.

Police strongly opposed a move to vary his bail to allow him to live in his family home because it would be impossible to prevent him from using a family member’s phone or encrypted communications apps despite any bail conditions that might be set.

Barrister Paul Smallwood, who told the court that Alibadi had not been charged with any further offences and had adhered to his existing bail conditions, asked Lindsay if there were any conditions under which police believed it was acceptable to see Alibadi in the community.

“I don’t believe that the threat to the community can be mitigated by a release for Mr Alibadi. Here I stand; I can do no other,” Lindsay told the court, quoting 16th-century revolutionary theologian Martin Luther.

Alibadi was released under strict monitoring conditions by magistrate Megan Casey.

Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter here.