Middle Eastern gang rivalry explodes during Brisbane rap video shoot
A bitter gang rivalry involving splintered Middle Eastern gang members has exploded after a senior Comanchero bikie was shot in the face during the filming of a rap video in Brisbane’s south.
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A bitter gang rivalry has exploded after a senior Comanchero bikie was shot in the face during the filming of a rap video in Brisbane’s south.
Escalating tensions and retribution attacks between two groups has led to a major police operation investigating multiple drive-by shootings in the Logan area.
One group has strong bikie and Middle Eastern organised crime links while the other group – which calls itself KTM, K12 or K-Town after the suburb Kuraby – has members involved in the drill rap scene.
It is understood the two crews formed after a senior person from the Middle Eastern crime group left to start his own gang.
Senior Comanchero member Kyle Leofa, 25, was shot this month after he approached a group of people filming a KTM rap video in an Underwood car park.
He was in one of two vehicles that approached a group of about 20 people filming in the car park of a shopping strip.
He was taken to hospital with a significant wound to his face and throat.
Officers are concerned about the simmering tensions between the two groups, given the heavy connections group members have.
Mr Leofa was pictured rubbing shoulders with the national president of the Comanchero, Allan Meehan, and Comanchero sergeant-at-arms Tarek Zahed just last month.
On Friday, Hanad Mohammed Mohammud, 23, was arrested by Victoria Police on a warrant for the attempted murder of Mr Leofa.
He was extradited to Queensland and appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
The court heard that CCTV footage captured Mr Mohammud at the scene where he was wearing a black jacket before changing into a blue puffer jacket prior to the alleged incident.
The person wearing the blue jacket then fired two bullets at a car from an elevated surface with one bullet striking the top of the car while the second struck the alleged victim inside the car, the court also heard.
Rap videos attributed to KTM all appear to be of the same track and feature the voice of high-profile UK drill rapper Suspect.
Suspect, whose real name is Tariq Monteiro, was arrested in Kenya this year and is accused of the 2019 stabbing murder of 16-year-old Alex Smith in London.
The film clips show men in balaclavas posing in front of luxury vehicles holding wads of cash. One is filmed in Kuraby while another appears to have been filmed in Melbourne.
The clips feature an intro voiceover from a Brisbane television journalist reporting on the unrelated 2020 stabbing of a teen in the Queen St mall.
“Four young men who have been accused of attempted murder are right now out in public, released on bail under very strict conditions,” the report can be heard saying at the beginning of the video.
It is not known whether Mr Mohammud features in any of the clips posted online but police allege he was among those filming a fresh video on the night of the shooting.
He was refused bail and will remain in custody until the matter is heard again on October 22.
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