Alameddine and Hamzy war victim’s father pleads for gun change

The father of a man innocently gunned down in an intended gangland hit has pleaded for gun change in the hopes it will stop the escalating violence on Sydney’s streets.

The father of a man innocently gunned down in an intended gangland hit has called for anyone caught with a gun to receive a mandatory jail sentence, hopeful it will stop the escalating violence on Sydney’s streets.

Hesham Naaman lost his son Mustafa, 29, in a volley of gunfire as he left a boxing fight night last January, in a shooting NSW Police homicide detectives believe stemmed from a case of mistaken identity.

Police suspect the gunmen mistook Mustafa Naaman for Ibrahem Hamze, a high-profile member of the notorious Hamzy clan.

Mustafa Naaman was shot dead in a gangland hit police believe was a case of mistaken identity last January. Picture: Facebook

Hesham Naaman (left) has called on the NSW Government to introduce tougher laws on people caught with guns a year on from Mustafa’s death. Picture: Facebook

Almost 12 months to the day since his son was killed, Mr Naaman has called on the state government to investigate a major overhaul of gun laws – claiming weapons like the handgun used in Mustafa’s shooting are unnecessary on the streets of Australia.

“You should be locked up, even just for carrying a gun, that’s my opinion,” Mr Naaman said.

“You’re going to be carrying it for a reason, not just to show it off. It’s not an easy process to put people away who are gang-related or affiliated, but you should be in prison if you have a gun – maybe it will stop someone else’s shooting and someone else’s family losing a loved one.

Police believe the intended target of the attack that killed Mustafa Naaman was Ibrahem Hamze (pictured).

“But unfortunately our politicians don’t want to get involved for some reason, so until they do we can only keep using our voices and trying to push them.”

Mr Naaman’s voice is not a lone one.

Recently retired high-ranking NSW Police officer Mick Plotecki agrees with the grieving father, saying if a potential underworld assassin knew being caught with a gun would land them in jail they would think twice about ever possessing one – let alone firing it.

“If you are caught with an illegal firearm in the city and have a criminal record, you should automatically be sent to jail,” Mr Plotecki, the former boss of the Firearms and Organised Crime Squad, said.

But that’s not all he believes is required.

Mr Plotecki said Firearm Prohibition Orders – strict orders limiting the access of gun users with a history of trouble to weapons – should be more heavily cracked down on by the courts.

His calls come with Sydney in the midst of a violent gang war that has claimed eight lives in less than 18 months, one of the victims - Salim Hamze - killed after being caught with guns by police, only to be allowed out on bail.

“Police can and are out there 24/7 locking up criminals and seizing guns only for the courts to give them bail or a slap on the wrist at sentencing,” Mr Plotecki said.

In 2013 the NSW Government strengthened the FPO laws giving police the powers to search any premises, vehicle, boat or plane without a warrant in relation to a person who had been issued with such an order.

Newly anointed Police Minister Paul Toole told The Daily Telegraph guns and bail were a major focus for he and Premier Dominic Perrottet.

NSW Police Senior Sergeant Ted Schey looks at some of the 9000 guns that have been seized over the years. Picture: Toby Zerna

Draws of handguns seized by police highlight just how rampant guns are on the streets. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I can tell you this, as a police Minister and also a general punter, I think the community quite rightly has some questions about why some people continue to get bail despite their criminal histories,” Deputy Premier Toole said.

“Gun related crime is a high priority … we want to lead the way to ensure that we get guns off the streets.

“There’s more that can be done in this space and I know that it’s something we’ll be looking at in coming months.”

Opposition police spokesman Walt Secord joined the chorus of calls for action on guns, saying that the “thugs” causing chaos on Sydney’s streets need to be “erased”.

“It is time for a tough no holds-barred ‘gang take-down’ strategy from the Perrottet government – which ruthlessly smashes these thugs and erases them from the streets,” Mr Secord said.

“The community has had a gutful of crime gangs acting with impunity in their neighbourhoods – and they are asking when is Premier Dominic Perrottet going to start to listen to their pleas for protection?”