Gangsters’ new fight to keep enemy burial plots at a distance

Sydney’s gang wars have moved to a new locale — Rookwood Cemetery — with associates desperate to ensure enemies are buried well away from each other.

As the bodies pile up in Sydney’s gangland war, a new ­battle has begun over where they get buried.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal associates of slain gangster Omar Zahed refused to let him be buried near his enemy at Rookwood Cemetery.

Associates did not want Omar Zahed, who was shot at an Auburn gym on Tuesday alongside his Comanchero brother Tarek, to be buried near Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad, who was assassinated just weeks earlier.

Sources said the request was made less than 48 hours before Zahed’s funeral on Friday. Tarek is fighting for life.

“They said that they did not want (Omar Zahed’s) body anywhere near the other side of the warring faction,” the source said. “Imagine the family of the victim coming back to visit and there being someone from the other side right there. It’s a big issue. There are concerns about the location of burials going forward and the potential problems it could cause.”

Associates of Omar Zahed (inset right) refused to let him be buried near his enemy, Mahmoud Ahmed (inset left) in Rookwood Cemetery.

Ahmad was buried in the Muslim section of Rookwood Cemetery on April 30 after being shot outside friend Ali Banat’s Greenacre mansion.

The Sunday Telegraph understands a flare-up was averted when the associates realised Zahed would be buried in a prearranged plot near another family member, away from Ahmad’s grave.

Mourners at the funeral of Omar Zahed, who was shot dead in Auburn this week.

The Muslim section at Rookwood Cemetery is also the final resting place of slain Comanchero boss Mahmoud “Mick” Hawi, who was buried in 2018 after being shot in a black Mercedes.

Bilal Hamze, who was shot and killed in 2021 outside an up-market Japanese restaurant in the CBD, is also buried in the area.

While there is ample Muslim burial space across Sydney, there is a strong link between the Sunni Lakemba Mosque and Rookwood Cemetery.

The issue is expected to again arise when plans are made to farewell Rami Iskander, the nephew of Ahmad, who was shot dead at his home on Saturday.

Iskander, a 23-year-old ­father, will likely also be buried at Rookwood early this week.

It is Muslim custom to bury the dead as soon as possible.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]