‘Every soul shall taste death’: gang warning, or brutal truth?

The words painted on the green coffin carrying the dead body of slain Sydney underworld figure Bilal Hamze carried several meanings.

Mourners at the funeral of Bilal Hamze. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Every soul shall taste death.” The words painted on the green coffin carrying the dead body of slain Sydney underworld figure Bilal Hamze carried several meanings.

One may be a message to those responsible for his assassination.

Police increasingly fear the outbreak of a new gangland war over the execution-style killing of notorious crime figure Hamze, who died in a hail of bullets fired from a black Audi – later torched – in the middle of Sydney’s CBD at 10.25pm last Thursday night.

The underworld boss died after reportedly dining on $200 worth of Wagyu beef, kingfish and sashimi at popular Sydney restaurant Kid Kyoto with a woman who would later become a key witness in the investigation.

Photographs place her sitting in the gutter head in hand and dressed in black during the early hours of last Friday.

Hamze had disregarded police advice, ignoring a warning that a contract had been placed on his head several weeks earlier, police said. “That advice wasn’t taken in the sense it was given; he sought to live his life the way he wanted to and he’s made some choices,” said Criminal Groups Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow.

Bilal Hamze was executed in central Sydney.

“Our Deputy Commissioner last week forecast that we would see some increased violence after the results of Operation Ironside and the impact that’s had on a number of criminal groups in Sydney,” he added. “This appears to be a possible result of that.”

NSW Police on Tuesday presented intelligence to the Supreme Court in a bid to deter an application by Hamze’s cousin Ghassan Amoun from attending Hamze’s funeral.

The intelligence, which detailed “persons that might be a threat to him” could attend, did not work and Mr Amoun was granted a six-hour exemption from strict movement orders placed on him in December.

Mr Amoun did not fear attending the funeral and retaliation is the last thing on the family’s mind, according to his solicitor Ahmed Dib, who represents six other members of the family.

“Sometimes when people are going through an emotional roller coaster it’s difficult for them to comprehend the moment during that period, and I think that’s what has occurred at the moment,” he said. “Nobody has really sat down to really comprehend what is going on.”

Strike Force Englorie, assisted by the Criminal Groups Squad, Raptor Squad and officers from across the Central Metropolitan Region, has been establishedto investigate Hamze’s murder.

On Thursday, NSW Police refused to reveal whether they had attempted to intercept any attacks or retaliation related to the Hamze and Hamzy families, or the rival Alameddine family.

As for the words on Hamze’s coffin, they could be a threat or they could be could simply be a ­reminder of the fragility of life.

The words were not unusual at Islamic funerals, said Australian Federation of Islamic Councils chief executive officer Keysar Trad.

The full verse, which is no. 185, chapter 3, in the Koran, is: “Everyone shall taste death and you will be given your compensation in full on the day of resurrection.”

That chapter reminds worshippers that life is short, he said.