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POLICE have issued their first eye-witness description of the gunman responsible for the brazen shooting of alleged Sydney crime boss Abdul Darwiche.
It comes as Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Geoff Beresford, told The Daily Telegraph police were confident of an early arrest in the case and hoped this would avert any retribution for Saturday’s slaying at Bass Hill.
“We’re basically confident that this will be resolved sooner rather than later,’’ Det Supt Beresford said.
He said witnesses had described the gunman as being of Middle Eastern appearance, aged in his 20s, with short dark hair.
He was of solid build and was wearing a black t-shirt.
The car he sped off in was a silver Honda CRV.
Det Supt Beresford said police also had CCTV footage that was assisting them in piecing together the incident.
Darwiche, 37, who had been charged with but acquitted of the attempted murder of a member of a rival family during a series of drive-by shootings between 2001 and 2004, was gunned down in front of his wife, their four children and two other children outside a Subway restaurant.
Hundreds of mourners paid their respects to slain crime kingpin Abdul Qadier Darwiche at his funeral today.
His brother insists the murder was not drug or gang related.
Up to 300 men arrived at Sydney's Lakemba Mosque from early this morning for a short prayer ceremony.
Gallery: Where the drug boss was shot
Background: Lighting fuse of drug gangs war
Plus: Darwiche knew he was a target
After the body was washed, it was carried into the mosque for a 15-minute prayer session.
A short time ago the tapestry-covered coffin was led from the mosque. The funeral procession is now en route to Rookwood cemetery, where an imam will conduct the 45-minute formal service.
Acting on requests from Darwiche's family and community leaders, police agreed to release the body from Glebe Morgue earlier than usual following the autopsy.
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Sheik al-Hilaly said the decision was made to minimise emotions surrounding Darwiche's death, rather than cultural reasons.
Police, fearing an escalation of violence today, continued to patrol the area.
Following midday prayers at the Mosque, over 500 mourners turned out to Rookwood cemetery to hear prayers for the dead from two Imams.
In the second of two speeches, Sheik Dr Fedaa Majzoub asked mourners to remain faithful to God and to be law abiding citizens, before the coffin was lowered into the ground.
Darwiche - named by police in 2007 as a the head of a criminal syndicate controlling drug networks across Sydney's southwest - was gunned down as he ate at a Bass Hill restaurant with his family about 3.30pm Saturday.
Sheik Hilaly told the Daily Telegraph he had spoken with Darwiche’s family last night and appealed to distressed friends and family not to take the law into their own hands.
"Leave things in the hands of the law," he said through an interpreter. "Let the police do their job. We do not live in a jungle.''
Sheik Hilaly said the public must be careful not to label the actions of a few hot-headed young men as representative of the Islamic community.
His death had nothing to do with the fact he was Muslim, he added.
Darwiche's brother Albert today said a well-documented feud with rival crime gang the Razzaks was not behind his brother’s death.
Abdul Darwiche was acquitted of the attempted murder of Farouk Frank Razzak three years ago. His other brother Adnan Darwiche is still serving a life sentence for the double murder of Ziad Razzak and a young mother who provided him safe haven during a drive-by shooting in Greenacre in 2003.
The Darwiche-Razzak war had been dead for years, Albert Darwiche said.
He said he expected some members of the Razzak family to arrive at the service today.
He added his brother's death was not gang or drug related.
"Who would shoot an unarmed man in front of his family?" he said.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25194868-5001021,00.html
It comes as Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Geoff Beresford, told The Daily Telegraph police were confident of an early arrest in the case and hoped this would avert any retribution for Saturday’s slaying at Bass Hill.
“We’re basically confident that this will be resolved sooner rather than later,’’ Det Supt Beresford said.
He said witnesses had described the gunman as being of Middle Eastern appearance, aged in his 20s, with short dark hair.
He was of solid build and was wearing a black t-shirt.
The car he sped off in was a silver Honda CRV.
Det Supt Beresford said police also had CCTV footage that was assisting them in piecing together the incident.
Darwiche, 37, who had been charged with but acquitted of the attempted murder of a member of a rival family during a series of drive-by shootings between 2001 and 2004, was gunned down in front of his wife, their four children and two other children outside a Subway restaurant.
Hundreds of mourners paid their respects to slain crime kingpin Abdul Qadier Darwiche at his funeral today.
His brother insists the murder was not drug or gang related.
Up to 300 men arrived at Sydney's Lakemba Mosque from early this morning for a short prayer ceremony.
Gallery: Where the drug boss was shot
Background: Lighting fuse of drug gangs war
Plus: Darwiche knew he was a target
After the body was washed, it was carried into the mosque for a 15-minute prayer session.
A short time ago the tapestry-covered coffin was led from the mosque. The funeral procession is now en route to Rookwood cemetery, where an imam will conduct the 45-minute formal service.
Acting on requests from Darwiche's family and community leaders, police agreed to release the body from Glebe Morgue earlier than usual following the autopsy.
Garde-Wilson: Gangland lawyer's lover sorry for Versace spray
Sheik al-Hilaly said the decision was made to minimise emotions surrounding Darwiche's death, rather than cultural reasons.
Police, fearing an escalation of violence today, continued to patrol the area.
Following midday prayers at the Mosque, over 500 mourners turned out to Rookwood cemetery to hear prayers for the dead from two Imams.
In the second of two speeches, Sheik Dr Fedaa Majzoub asked mourners to remain faithful to God and to be law abiding citizens, before the coffin was lowered into the ground.
Darwiche - named by police in 2007 as a the head of a criminal syndicate controlling drug networks across Sydney's southwest - was gunned down as he ate at a Bass Hill restaurant with his family about 3.30pm Saturday.
Sheik Hilaly told the Daily Telegraph he had spoken with Darwiche’s family last night and appealed to distressed friends and family not to take the law into their own hands.
"Leave things in the hands of the law," he said through an interpreter. "Let the police do their job. We do not live in a jungle.''
Sheik Hilaly said the public must be careful not to label the actions of a few hot-headed young men as representative of the Islamic community.
His death had nothing to do with the fact he was Muslim, he added.
Darwiche's brother Albert today said a well-documented feud with rival crime gang the Razzaks was not behind his brother’s death.
Abdul Darwiche was acquitted of the attempted murder of Farouk Frank Razzak three years ago. His other brother Adnan Darwiche is still serving a life sentence for the double murder of Ziad Razzak and a young mother who provided him safe haven during a drive-by shooting in Greenacre in 2003.
The Darwiche-Razzak war had been dead for years, Albert Darwiche said.
He said he expected some members of the Razzak family to arrive at the service today.
He added his brother's death was not gang or drug related.
"Who would shoot an unarmed man in front of his family?" he said.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25194868-5001021,00.html
