Sydney rocked by drive-by shootings
An escalating gun war in Sydney saw five overnight drive-by shooting attacks, Australian police said today, as they struggled to bring the gangland violence under control.
There have been eight shootings across the city in four days and 19 so far this month, mostly in Sydney's west and southwest.
Three homes and two tattoo parlours were sprayed with bullets in the latest attacks. No one was hurt but five young children were lucky to escape injury in one of the houses.
Police believe a dispute between two biker gangs -- the Nomads and Hells Angels -- was behind four of the five attacks.
Assistant Police Commissioner Frank Mennilli said the police were working on stamping out the violence.
"This is where we have just individuals who've got a total disregard for the law of this state and its community," he told ABC radio.
"I can assure you and I can assure the community these people just better be ready, because we'll be knocking on their door very shortly."
However, few arrests have been made in the rising wave of gun crime with detectives frustrated by the reluctance of many victims to cooperate.
New South Wales state opposition leader John Robertson urged the government to authorise police rewards of up to Aus$50,000 (US$51,700) to any person who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
"This gangland war is going to continue and people in Sydney are going to continue to live in fear," he told reporters.
New South Wales state Premier Barry O'Farrell defended the police response.
"I share the public's concern that even though these are clearly targeted shootings, only one stray bullet is needed to seriously injure or kill someone who is innocent," he said.
"But what we need to do is also support and recognise the progress that police have made.
"Since the start of this year, 74 arrests state-wide in relation to firearm offences, 147 weapons seized and 21,500 rounds of ammunition. I have great confidence in the New South Wales police."
Federal Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said more needed to be done to halt the illegal trade in firearms with more than 10,000 handguns on the streets of Australia.
He suggested a firearms unit be established to collate intelligence gathered by customs and federal and state police on the illegal gun trade.
"We already have that with drugs, and it works very well," he said.
Popular Stories
Money has to serve, not to rule - Pope
Video - Soldier hacked to death in...
Update 7 - Bombs kill 3 people, wound...
Updated - Boston bomb suspect 'identified'
Margaret Thatcher dies after stroke
Update 2 - Three missing women found...
Update 2: Gunman held in Rome police...
Investigators scour video, photos for...
Updated: Boston lockdown as bomber hunted
In Discussion
Video - Soldier hacked to death in...
Margaret Thatcher dies after stroke
Almost 500 migrants rescued in 24 hours...
Clashes as France approves gay marriages
More migrants arrive in Lampedusa
Boy, 8, killed in Boston blasts...
EU approves Cyprus bailout plan
England to ban wild animals at circuses
Pope washes feet of young inmates -...
10 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Carmel Vella
Apr 18th 2012, 07:45
And I could have sworn that Australia banned all guns many years ago. Where is money in crime, there are guns. ANYWHERE you go.
JR Apap
Apr 17th 2012, 13:04
I remember a joke British humour going around in England when i was there, thank God i left the country quicker then flash, that Australia or as they called it the Pom's land (abbrev. for Prsioners of Mother England) is like a 100 old woman, everyone know where it is but nobody wants to go there, it seems that are are right according to some of the comments, but then again there is only onw way to find out and that is for the bitchers as they call them down under is for them to find out for themselvers. I can honestly say its not Heaven and one should be prepared to work hard as its nothing as the lay back Malta, thats for sure, and speed is the essence., besides having to pay for one's health insurance and not FREE as in Malta. I am actualy glad i visited the country, but to be honest not quite my cup of cha short slang for (tea).
Mano' Xerri
Apr 17th 2012, 10:40
Australia & America is one place that i would never allow my kids to emigrate to, i was in Sydney in the early 70's and besides being called all sorts of racists names i hated the place altogether. i find that many immigrants from Malta were then very isolated as most immigrants from various nationalities seems to form a very tight and a clicky circle that is hard to break and mix .I found the apart from the Australians the pommies were just as bad. No thanks Australia is off the menu for me.
Alfred Spiteri
Apr 17th 2012, 11:17
I have spent 30 years there and Australia is still the best country to live in
Billie Watson
Apr 17th 2012, 11:37
Ref:- Mano xerri, sir i can quite understand where you are coming from, we are English or (Pommies) as you contradictorily labelled us,, nevertheless we found that Malta is a great country we love the people although we find to a certain extend that a minority of the Maltese are racists themselves not only towards the Africans but also towards us the English, however although you say that you will never emigrate to Aus. including ourselves. it seems that racism exist wherever one goes in this world so nothing has changed there, except its a tit for tat in every nationality including the latest court case in Norway. Conclusion.. We also will not give Aus a second glance & is definitely OFF our list or countries to visit.
Joseph Ellul
Apr 17th 2012, 10:24
A great percentage of gun totters are of middle eastern origin. This is the way they were brought up and since all these illigal immigrants have been invading Australian shores, the illigal gun market has expanded exponentially.
When the Vietnamese came it was knife attacks and later guns. Now it is guns and machineguns.
With every day that passes hundreds of boat people of eastern origin arrive in Australia and the Labour Government has done nothing to stop them. Actually Australia supplies all the legal help to these illigals, even if they have suspicious identity.
Imad Ali
Apr 17th 2012, 12:28
I doubt the biker gangs are formed from minority communities.
Denise Moukarzel
Apr 17th 2012, 15:00
I can't see why you have to blame people of middle eastern origin . I m a Lebanese, Maltese and Australian citizen and I never was brought up with a gun. Please also note that some gang members are maltese too
Australia is a very safe country to live in. I never once encountered any problems and I must say have never locked my front door at night as I felt safe living amoungst my community . Malta is the only place where I don't feel safe sometimes . Other than that I think that in each country there is some form of violence but please do not target a certain nationality as that is just purely racism
Christopher Gaynor
Apr 17th 2012, 18:19
"A great percentage of gun-toters are of middle eastern origin. This is the way they were brought up..."
Now there's a sweeping generalisation.
Mobbie dickvince
Apr 17th 2012, 19:10
Actually you brought up a very good point Mr.Moukarzel, i can quite understand the way you feel, i too lived in Sydney not far from Parramatta to be exact and very often i travelled to kingscross to work, believe me if the Maltese in Malta think their countryman walk about with an angelic Halo around their heads forget it, as i find that some Maltese are worse then what our friend Joseph Ellul is insinuating are. Actually just like the Brits. when the Maltese are away from their home country or as we say when abroad they too behave badly, and there are good and bad in any nationality, so this guy is wrong by point'g his finger at the people of middle eastern origin. i worked with some very good people from Lebanon and the majority that i knew were hard working law abiding citizens. I am my self British by birth and my job takes me all around the world, including Malta and Cyprus, however one just cannot judge people of what one reads in the media as there are good and bad everywhere, and believe me Mr. Ellul the Maltese are definitly no exception.
Please choose the reason of your report below: