Sydney underworld identity Bilal Haouchar poses for photo with Mohamad Arnaout in Lebanon

A new photo has emerged of a powerful Sydney underworld identity dining in Lebanon after years in hiding.

One of the most powerful ­figures in Sydney’s underworld has re-emerged after years in hiding.

Bilal Haouchar is still considered to have an extreme amount of power and influence over the happenings on the city’s streets, despite having lived more than 14,000km away in Lebanon since 2018.

Haouchar has been avoiding NSW Police - with use of his Lebanese dual citizenship – since not long after he found out authorities wanted to ask him questions over at least three murders.

The Daily Telegraph has been provided with a new photograph of Haouchar in Lebanon, the first image of him in some years.

It shows Haouchar sitting at a table alongside another Sydney figure Mohamad Arnaout.

Bilal Haouchar (right), one of the most powerful figures in Sydney’s underworld, has been seen for the first time in years posing for a photo with Mohamad Arnaout (left). Picture: Supplied

Haouchar looks nonchalant as he sits at the dinner table, wearing a blue shirt and staring down the barrel of the camera.

In front of him sit two mobile phones, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and a variety of cakes and slices.

Beside him the younger Arnaout smiles broadly, his shirt unbuttoned and showing off a chest tattoo

Arnaout has since flown home to Australia, and in early June was arrested by the NSW Police State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad over the alleged kidnapping of Yousseff Nagi in March 2021.

It is the first time Haouchar has been pictured since posing with two semiautomatic guns in 2020. Picture: Supplied

NSW Police still have a warrant out for Haouchar in connection to a criminal gang kidnapping in Merrylands dating back to 2018. Picture: NSW Police

He was charged with take/detain in company with intent to gain advantage and participating in a criminal group.

It is alleged the kidnappers confronted Nagi at his Punchbowl home, before dragging him onto the street and into a van, before he was taken to a location and held for almost 48 hours before being returned home.

Arnaout was last week granted $900,000 bail and is next due back in Burwood Local Court on July 5.

Rafat Alameddine, the alleged leader of the Alameddine organised crime network, has been living it up in Lebanon since flying their late last year.

Like Haouchar, other members of Sydney’s underworld have made it their home in increasing numbers over the past year.

NSW Police have a list of more than 80 individuals who have left since the start of Sydney’s gang war.

They include high profile names like Rafat Alameddine, the alleged leader of the Alameddine organised crime network, who has been seen living it up in Lebanon.

Haouchar is widely considered the first big name to make Lebanon his home, after leaving in 2018.

Up until that point he had built a reputation as a feared gun for hire, and was convicted of involvement for being an accessory after the fact to murder in one fatal shooting.

But when he caught wind that NSW Police wanted to speak with him over at least three murders, he up and left, using his Lebanese passport to become almost completely untouchable to Australian law enforcement.

The most recent images of Haouchar before this new photo were taken in 2020 and showed him at a dinner table with a group of friends and also posing with two semiautomatic machine guns.

Originally published as Sydney underworld identity Bilal Haouchar poses for photo with Mohamad Arnaout in Lebanon