Lawyer ‘not sure’ if police allege men arrested near John Ibrahim home were assassins

A lawyer for two men allegedly found with guns near John Ibrahim’s house has said he’s “not sure” if police allege it was an assassination attempt.

A lawyer for two balaclava-clad men allegedly found with guns near John Ibrahim’s house has told media he’s “not sure” if police allege it was an assassination attempt, after their matter was heard in court for the first time on Friday.

Police were called to George St in Dover Heights, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, about 8.20am on Thursday after reports of a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a gun.

The masked man allegedly approached a car before leaving in a grey Cupra Leon, which police allege had been stolen from a rental car company.

Officers initiated a pursuit when they saw the car travelling down Old South Head Rd in Bondi, and the driver refused to stop.

Two men have been charged with firearms offences. Picture: Channel 7 `

Police were called to Dover Heights about 8.20am on Thursday. Picture: Channel 7

Police allege Yousif Zrayka, 20, was behind the wheel of the stolen rental car while Siaosi Maeakafa Tupoulahi, 24, was an unrestrained passenger.

Mr Zrayka was arrested when the car came to a stop further along Old South Head Rd, but Mr Tupoulahi allegedly resisted arrest. 

Police claim he assaulted an officer and resisted another before fleeing the scene on foot.

The 24-year-old allegedly resisted arrest again when he was detained on Banksia Road in Bellevue Hill a short time later.

Police claim they discovered a loaded black revolver and a loaded semi automatic pistol when they searched the car.

The two men had allegedly been in the vicinity of the house belonging to high-profile nightclub identity and ‘King of the Cross’ John Ibrahim before they drove off.

When asked if his clients had been targeting Mr Ibrahim, their lawyer Talal Krayem said outside court that “there was no suggestion of that at all”.

Pressed on whether police will allege it was an assassination attempt, he replied he was “not sure”.

Mr Talal said Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi would “absolutely” be defending the charges.

“They’re allegations at this point,” he said.

The two men were found near the home of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim (pictured right with fiancee Sarah Budge), who is not accused of any wrongdoing. Picture: Instagram

He appeared before Waverley Local Court on Friday to indicate his clients would make an application to be released on bail on Monday.

The court was told the matter had already been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge adjourned the matters, and noted Mr Zrayka and Mr Tupoulahi will remain behind bars over the weekend until they return to court on Monday.

Mr Tupoulahi is facing 11 charges, including possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, intimidation, and assaulting a police officer in the execution of their duty.

Mr Zrayka has been charged with eight offences, including possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, and driving recklessly and not stopping during a police pursuit.

NSW Police Eastern Suburbs crime manager Adam Solah said on Thursday that police were trying to determine why the two men were on George St allegedly armed with weapons.

“At this stage it doesn’t look like the men are linked to that area at all and they came from an area outside Dover Heights,” he said.

“Why they were there will form a key line of our inquiry.”

The men were allegedly armed. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Police allege they drove off in a stolen car (not pictured). Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

A neighbour described the moment he saw one of the men near the house in Dover Heights.

“I shouted at him, ‘Hey, what the hell are you doing?’” he told the Today Show on Friday.

“And he was hiding from police behind the gate in the laneway. At that stage there were about 20 police and detectives around him. You could hear a taser gun,” another local said.

Both Mr Tupoulahi and Mr Zrayka have been charged with intimidating two witnesses in Dover Heights before police arrived.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

Originally published as Lawyer ‘not sure’ if police allege men arrested near John Ibrahim home were assassins