Bilal Hamze killing: Crime boss’s killers being hunted by police and criminals

Crims think that Bilal Hamze may have been set up up by a trusted friend before his death last Thursday, while others think he was being watched.

Two groups of people are trying to ascertain who knew slain crime figure Bilal Hamze was going to be dining at a fancy Sydney restaurant on the night he was gunned down on a city street.

One is the NSW Homicide Squad. The other is Hamze’s criminal mates and associates.

Now, it’s a race to see who cracks the case first.

The biggest question is how the assassins knew the 34-year-old would be going to the Japanese restaurant Kid Kyoto in Bridge Street last Thursday night. Hamze was shot dead as he walked out of the restaurant about 10.30pm.

“He has to have been set up, no doubt,’’ an underworld source said. “And probably by someone he trusted, who he may have told where he was going for dinner.’’

Bilal Hamze, who was killed in the CBD last Thursday.

It is one theory – but not the only one – that both police and crooks are working on. Another theory is that Hamze was under surveillance by the criminal group who wanted him dead.

“He was out and about in the CBD quite a bit before the shooting, despite being warned there was a target on his head, and possibly had been spotted and then followed to where he lived,’’ a police source said.

“Anyone with him in the lead-up to the murder and with him at the time will ­obviously be spoken to.’'

It was well known there was a large contract out on Hamze and he knew it too, but refused police protection or advice from friends to get out of town for a while.

The Daily Telegraph understands Hamze had gotten rid of his flashy Mercedes and was driving a less conspicuous car because he feared there would be an attempt to put a GPS tracker on his vehicle.

“These criminal groups are known to have done this in the past. They also carry out surveillance on targets, their families and friends, to try and find out where they are,’’ one senior officer said.

It is believed Hamze, who frequented expensive restaurants, made a booking for 8.30pm and spent nearly two hours in the Bridge St establishment with a female companion.

The Hamze camp is scrambling to try to find out how the shooters knew to be outside the restaurant at that time on that night.

“He might have been there once before so it wasn't a regular place for him to eat,’’ one source said.

“It was well planned. They were ready to do a hit in the city and probably had a car and crew in the area for days or even weeks.

“But someone had to tell them where he was going to be that night, unless he was seen and a message sent out.

“But that’s unlikely.’’

To many, Hamze was a dead man walking for weeks although he had taken the precaution of moving into an apartment near Chinatown — a move many gangsters have used recently believing they are safer there.

“There are cameras everywhere, it’s harder to make fast getaways and generally there are cops out and about,’’ the source said.