Court allows Bassam Hamzy’s brother Ghassan Amoun exemption to Bilal Hamze funeral

Family and friends farewell notorious crime figure Bilal Hamze, shot down execution-style in Sydney’s CBD.

About 15 mourners carried the bright green coffin of underworld figure Bilal Hamze who was gunned down in the Sydney CBD last week. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The younger brother of jailed Brothers 4 Life gang leader Bassam Hamzy was granted permission to attend his slain cousin’s funeral despite a court hearing that he could be the “next target” in an underworld war.

Ghassan Amoun, 34, successfully applied in the Supreme Court to vary strict controls on his movements so he could mourn his cousin Bilal Hamze – who was murdered in an execution-style shooting in Sydney’s CBD last week – in person.

Bilal Hamze photographed outside Burwood Court.

Bassam Hazmy’s deceased brother Mejid Hamzy. Picture: Facebook

Despite having a contract put on his head several weeks earlier, notorious crime figure Hamze had largely gone about life as ­normal until he was gunned down outside popular restaurant Kid Kyoto, on Bridge Street.

Following the shooting, NSW Police warned that retaliation by the family could lead to yet more violence on Sydney’s streets.

Police at the crime scene where gangster Bilal Hamze was executed by a gunman on Bridge st in the city on the 18 June. Picture: Adam Yip

On Wednesday, a sea of men wearing sports attire, hooded jumpers, black sunglasses, face coverings and bum bags gathered alongside grieving family members in Sydney’s southwest to farewell Hamze.

Among those seen outside the service was Former ISIS fighter Mohamed Elomar’s brother Ahmed, according to reports in The Daily Telegraph.

NSW Police patrolled the Lakemba Mosque for several hours prior to the 11am service.

Before Mr Amoun was granted the exemption, NSW Police told the courts they had received intelligence on Tuesday morning that “threats” had been made against Mr Amoun, and his movements at the funeral would be monitored by “persons that might be a threat to him”.

Lakemba Mosque on Thursday during a service for the 'brutal, execution-style murder' of Bilal Hamze. Picture: Christian Gilles

Barrister Ertunc Ozen SC argued Hamze’s funeral would be “the safest place” his client could go due to a heavy police presence.

The court suppressed publication of Mr Amoun’s exemption before 4pm on Wednesday, five hours after the funeral service.

Mr Amoun was arrested in February and charged with breaching Serious Crime Prevention ­Orders. His brother Mejid Hamzy was farewelled at the same mosque on October 22 last year after being gunned down outside his Condell Park home.

Bassam Hamzy, who learned of his brother’s murder while watching a news report in jail, ­described it as “the will of god”.

Additional reporting: Evin Priest