Haissam Hamzy released on bail in Sydney after mates post $900k surety

After spending two years on remand and watching five relatives gunned down in the Sydney underworld war, one of the last remaining members of the infamous Hamzy family is back on the streets.

One of the last remaining members of the Hamzy clan is back on the streets after his mates chipped in close to $1 million to secure his release on bail.

After almost two years on remand Haissam Hamzy was expected to walk from Macquarie Correctional Centre this week.

Hamzy is the cousin of notorious crime boss Bassam Hamzy and has been in prison without bail over charges stemming from alleged violent acts during the underworld war.

One relates to a 2022 underworld kidnapping in Merrylands and another is for allegedly conspiring to murder members of the Alameddine family during an infamous gym shooting that saw bullets fly past children in a nearby daycare.

His barrister Ertunc Ozen SC told the Supreme Court last week his last name was the “elephant in the room”.

Haissam Hamzy (right) with cousins Ibrahem and Tareek.

“The Hamzy name is a notorious name in NSW but merely a familial relation to Ibrahem or Bassam (Hamzy) will not result in a family member facing a hurdle by association,” he said.

Hamzy’s legal team of Mr Ozen and lawyer Mostafa Daoudie argued he was willing to wear an electronic ankle monitor and have two friends put up $900,000 to secure his release.

Two childhood friends chipped in $900k to help secure his release.

Mr Daoudie was contacted this week but declined to comment.

“He has nothing on his record that suggests a history of involvement in any criminal activity, let alone organised criminal activity,” Mr Ozen said.

Hamzy is one of a few surviving members of the underworld family currently on the streets of Sydney after watching five of his relatives gunned down in the gangland war.

His cousins and uncles Bilal, Mejid, Toufik, and Salim Hamze along with Ghassan Amoun were all shot dead at the height of the violence.

His relative Ghassan Amoun (right) is one of five family members shot dead during the underworld violence of recent years.

Mohammed “Little Crazy” Hamzy is the only other member of the infamous family not dead or in jail, though he left Australia shortly after being released on parole last year.

In court his sister Maya Hamzy wrote a letter describing their life growing up in the Hamzy family and how her brother picked up a trade in plumbing.

He has spent almost two years on remand at Macquarie Correctional Centre.

There is no suggestion she has been involved in criminal activities.

His legal team argued for him to be released to a property where he can only leave the home for very few reasons.

Hamzy will also be watched around the clock with an electronic ankle monitor while he is on bail in the community.

He was granted bail by Justice Peter Garling last week, spending almost two years on remand in jail after first being arrested in April 2022.

Mr Ozen told the court two of the witnesses in the case, who cannot be named for legal reasons, would be labelled unreliable when it goes to trial.

The pair are two of seven witnesses shrouded in secrecy after a wide-ranging suppression order was placed on their identities for their protection almost two years ago.

He will go to trial in the District Court later this year over the alleged kidnapping of an associate of the Alameddine family and no date has been set for the conspiracy to murder trial.

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