Police bid to force activist burger boss Hasheam Tayeh to spill on kidnapping

Activist burger chain boss Hasheam Tayeh will face a court hearing where police will fight to force him to reveal what he knows about a kidnap and torture case.

Colourful burger chain boss Hasheam Tayeh will face court on Friday where Victoria Police will try to force him to give evidence in a kidnap and torture case.

The Herald Sun understands “Hash” – a Palestinian activist and founder of Burgertory – was questioned by detectives after a man was allegedly ambushed by three masked men, tied up, stomped on and severely beaten with a hammer.

It is understood Mr Tayeh was questioned over the sickening February assault but did not fully co-operate with police.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting he played any part in the attack, but that detectives believe he has knowledge or information that could help the prosecution case and want him to be a witness.

When he refused a previous request, Victoria Police started the process of compelling him to give evidence.

It is believed the evidence Mr Tayeh could give specifically relates to Laura Allam, a prominent 27-year-old who has been charged over the brutal attack.

Police are fighting to compel Mr Tayeh to give evidence. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ms Allam is the CEO of Al Jannah Foundation – a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation that aims to “raise Lebanon back to its feet”.

A co-accused is Mohammad Sharab, 37, who is a regular speaker at pro-Palestine rallies in Melbourne’s CBD. He has also been seen at the forefront of several controversial university protests, despite having no affiliation with the education facilities. He has been seen blocking Jewish students from entering university buildings.

The Herald Sun can also reveal for the first time that a third person charged over the assault is Ibrahim Al Azhari.

Detectives are continuing to hunt for a fourth unidentified assailant.

Police allege the victim, who the Herald Sun has chosen not to name due to fears for his safety, was dragged from a vehicle, had his hands and feet tied, his entire head covered in duct tape and then driven in Mr Al Azhari’s white ute with silver toolbox in the tray to Duke Street Reserve in Sunshine where he was beaten with a hammer to his head and hands. They repeatedly told him they were going to kill him, it is claimed.

Mohammad Sharab at a Pro Palestine Protest at Federation Square. Picture: Brendan Beckett

The sickening assault only stopped when he handed over his iPhone and Apple watch with their respective passcodes.

The alleged victim phoned his Jewish boss from his hospital bed to warn the attackers may be trying to access sensitive information on his phone to attack his employer.

A relative of one of the accused is alleged to have approached the victim and offered $10,000, a new mobile and Apple watch if he dropped his allegations.

Hash Tayeh’s Burgertory shop in Caulfield was captured on CCTV being firebombed by two people in November last year. Mr Tayeh claimed it was due to his pro-Palestine stance.

Police always maintained it wasn’t a hate crime and charged two men over the blaze, including one who was also accused of torching a tobacco store in Bendigo.

In April, Mr Tayeh’s family home in Templestowe Lower had a Molotov cocktail thrown at it, which he described as either a “terror” or a “hate” crime and declared police had “failed to protect this community.”

Police continue to investigate.