Fears of gangland payback

VICTORIA Police are desperately trying to avert a revenge attack in the new gangland war between two western suburbs families.

VICTORIA Police are desperately trying to avert a revenge attack in the new gangland war between two western suburbs families.

Detectives are understood to be investigating a payback hit being planned to avenge the death of Chaouk family patriarch Macchour.

Sources claim the attack could be as soon as Grand Final day.

The Santiago taskforce has learned the target of the planned execution is Chaouk enemy Ahmad Haddara, patriarch of that family.

It is believed police are concerned sources within the Hells Angels may have been able to obtain firearms for members of the Chaouk family or their associates.

It is believed detectives have met with senior members of the outlaw motorcycle club to try to quell the violence.

The Chaouks believe rival gangland patriarch Haddara was behind the shooting of Macchour last month.

Police also regard the Haddara patriarch as a suspect, but he has been provided with several alibis by his family.

No charges have been laid.

The killing of Chaouk is suspected to have been in revenge for the killing of Mohammed Haddara, 28, in Altona North in June last year.

Chaouk associates claim Mohammed Haddara was killed with his gun by a man he had tried to abduct - Ahmad Hablas, a Chaouk relative.

Mr Hablas has been charged with the murder after telling police he did the shooting in self-defence.

Chaouk relatives implied they would seek revenge the day after they lost their patriarch last month.

"Whoever gets to him (Ahmad Haddara) first is the lucky one," Nayef Chaouk, nephew and son-in-law of Macchour Chaouk, told the Sunday Herald Sun.

"If they let him go, it's good.

"If he's in jail, it's good. Whatever happens happens."

Police do not believe a shooting murder in Williamstown on Monday was related to the bloody dispute between the Chaouks and the Haddaras.

Detectives think the only connection is that the dead man Steve Tosevski, 31, was a close associate of the Haddaras.

The Sunday Herald Sun revealed in September last year that a non-fatal shooting into a car at Altona North McDonald's was a revenge attack for the killing of Mohammed Haddara.

In January this year, it was revealed a brazen daylight execution plot in the new gang war had been planned in the heart of Melbourne.