CLEMENTINE CUNEO and JANET FIFE-YEOMANS
Sam Ibrahim, former bikie and founder of the Parramatta chapter of the Nomads, at his mother's home in Merrylands. Picture: John Grainger Source: The Daily Telegraph.Just a few hours earlier the rented home of high-profile Nomads life member Sam Ibrahim was peppered with bullets - the 11th shooting this week.
"I think it's fair to say the red light went on when we knew whose house had been hit," a police source said.
A second house, until recently rented by a Nomads associate, was shot at in Rouse Hill. No one was injured and police believe the target was the earlier tenant.
Police said they were out in force on Thursday night as part of the newly created Strike Force Kinarra, set up after five shootings on Tuesday morning.
In Newtown they were keeping a close eye on the tattoo parlour - known to be frequented by bikie members and a target of several previous shootings.
Scott Orrock's defection from the Nomads to the Hells Angels is believed to be one of the reasons behind the conflict. Picture: Ross Schultz Source: The Daily Telegraph
Police said Mr Orrock made threats toward the vehicle, claiming that its presence was "affecting trade".
At 3am emergency crews were called to King St, where the vehicle had been doused and set alight while it was unattended.
Police yesterday confirmed Mr Orrock had been spoken to about the torching and the matter was under investigation. He has not been charged.
Mr Orrock's "patch over" from the Nomads to the Hells Angels is believed to be one of the reasons the two rival gangs are warring, a police source said.
Assistant Commissioner Nick Kaldas said six of the seven shootings this week had been linked to the turf war between the Hells Angels and Nomads.
He said it was fair to assume that the overnight shootings were "payback" for Tuesday's drive-bys.
"This is a criminal culture, not an ethnic one. Instead of having a punch up face-to-face, they wait until he goes to bed and then shoot up his house knowing his wife and children are in there asleep," he said.
As senior police and intelligence analysts held strategy meetings late yesterday to prepare for reprisal attacks, the state government scrambled to announce tough new powers including banning bikies from owning or operating tattoo parlours or wearing their colours in Kings Cross.
"No one in NSW is above the law and we are serious about ensuring police have all the tools they need to bring a halt to the shooting spree which has hit our city," Premier Barry O'Farrell said.
The package, to go to cabinet on Monday, will give the Police Commissioner power to refuse a licence to own or operate a tattoo parlour and amend the Crimes Act to add tattoo parlours to the list of banned activities for criminal organisations.
The Law Enforcement Act would be amended to allow drug detection dogs into tattoo parlours without a warrant.
