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Two arrested as police fear for safety of locals as gang war escalates
June 29, 2011
UPDATE 5.50pm: POLICE tasked with investigating a spate of shootings in Melbourne's north have arrested two men.
The men were arrested this afternoon after they were intercepted by police and their cars searched.
The first man was arrested in relation to a road rage incident in Campbellfield early this morning.
He was charged with threats to kill and seriously injure and assault.
Police allegedly discovered an imitation firearm in the man's car.
A second man was arrested after he was intercepted by police this afternoon.
Police allegedly found a firearm and drugs in the man's car.
He was charged with weapon and drug offences.
Assistant Commisioner Graham Ashton refused to rule out the possibility that arrests are linked to a family feud at the centre of a gangland war in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
"We're still examining, from a Santiago (Taskforce) perspective, the links between (the men) and recent shootings," Mr Ashton said.
"It is too early to make those assessments.
"We're assessing those firearms to see if there are links."
The arrests came as dozens of police descended on the area today.
Police spoke to more than 300 residents and doorknocked 600 homes in an attempt to reassure the community and uncover any new leads.
Mr Ashton said the families at the centre of the feud were no longer co-operating with police.
He said the increased police presence would be "locked in for the forseeable future".
Acting Supt Stephen Mutton admitted today that he didn't know how long it would take to apprehend those behind the violence.
"Members of the public are being put in danger," he said. "That is a concern to us."
His comments come after Collingwood president Eddie McGuire weighed in on the war being waged in his old home town.
The former Broadmeadows boy said he was appalled by the senseless violence.
"Every shooting has happened within a six block radius of the place I grew up in," he said on his Triple M Hot Breakfast show.
"Now this isn't the wild west. This is a place that has seen generations of Australians come through and start their lives in this country and go on to bigger and better things.
"What is going on when there are shoot outs, literally shoot outs on an hourly basis out in this area, Jacarana, Coolaroo, Glenroy, all the suburbs just around. "
"This isn't downtown LA where I've been and felt safer walking through in the last week, this is Broadie!"
McGuire's comments came as Abdul Tiba, the patriarch of the family at the centre of the escalating war, today hit out at police, who he claimed were not interested in protecting him and his family.
Mr Tiba's Coolaroo home has been the target of numerous attacks in recent weeks,
"No one helps me in this country, no police, no community, no St Vincent's. No one," he said.
"I tell them I want to protect my family. No one cares about this.
"They want to give me all the responsibility for this and I don't know nothing. I gave them my statement but still no one cares."
Mr Tiba said he had been living in his car since the latest attack last week when his home was sprayed with bullets for a second time.
He told the Herald Sun he was in poor health, was taking medication and thought he would be lucky to survive the ordeal.
"I've been sleeping in the car. (Police) gave me two days in a motel like a f---ing gypsy," he said.
"No one can spend even $1000 to save my family.
"I tell them I want to go back, I don't want to stay in this s--t country."
Mr Tiba's outburts comes as a gold Mercedes believed to have been involved in a drive-by shooting in Glenroy 10 days ago was found abandoned.
The car was found by police on Barry Rd, Coolaroo, this morning.
Shots were fired from a gold Mercedes coupe at a black sedan at about 4.20pm on Sunday, June 19 on Pascoe Vale Rd, near the Western Ring Rd in Glenroy. Both drivers fled the scene and no bystanders were injured.
It was one of several incidents in recent weeks that have fuelled fears of a violent gang war in the northern suburbs.
Police have had a heavy presence around the Glenroy and Coolaroo areas this morning after Victoria's top cop yesterday vowed to end the crisis gripping Melbourne's northern suburbs after another wild street shootout yesterday.
Armed thugs defied a police crackdown, trading gunfire from speeding cars as they roared through Glenroy last night.
It was the sixth shooting incident since February suspected of being linked to friction between warring Middle Eastern families.
After a top-level briefing with Police Minister Peter Ryan, Acting Chief Commissioner Ken Lay last night told the Herald Sun: "The identification and prosecution of those responsible for these actions is a very high priority for Victoria Police. Their behaviour, and the threat they present to our community, is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
In other developments after the fifth shooting incident in nine days:
MR RYAN said the State Government fully supported the Acting Chief Commissioner in his biggest challenge since taking over from Simon Overland.
NORTHERN SUBURBS locals spoke of their fear and demanded police action.IT was estimated the number of shooting incidents related to the gang conflict in the past five years would top 50.
A FORMER senior Sydney gang investigator warned there was potential for innocent civilians to be killed, as had happened in his state.
Mr Ryan said those responsible had to be brought to justice and he had been given a verbal briefing followed by a written report about yesterday's events.
"I have been advised by police command that significant and increased police resources have been dedicated to apprehend those responsible for these events," he said.
Witnesses told police they saw a dark blue car, loaded with five people, chasing a white car with three to four people on board along busy Hilda St in Glenroy.
Someone in the blue car produced a handgun and fired several shots at the other car.
The Herald Sun yesterday revealed two families - the Kassabs and the Tibas - are believed to be the combatants in some of the recent violence.
Gang members have allegedly financed their activities through methamphetamine production and trafficking, kidnapping and extortion. Dozens of witnesses have been intimidated to impede police.
Former top NSW cop Clive Small, who led that state's assault on Middle Eastern gang warfare last decade, said: "If you don't get on top of it quickly, it will escalate and escalate."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/re...oulevard-jacana/story-e6frf7jo-1226083769631#