Canada, Angels swept clubhouse for police bugs every week

OFF THE WIRE
Peter Edwards
Staff Reporter

The downtown Toronto Hells Angels swept their fortified clubhouse for police listening devices before their weekly meetings, which they called “church” sessions, court heard.
“I would have bug detection equipment,” said David Atwell, a former executive member of the club, who worked as a paid police agent against the club for 18 months between 2005 and 2007.
Atwell, a former security guard supervisor and salesman at a spy equipment shop, told the drugs and guns trial of five Toronto Hells Angels that he also upgraded the security camera system around the clubhouse.
He noted that the clubhouse at 498 Eastern Ave. had a sliding steel front door and concrete pillars — disguised as flower planters — to slow down police battering rams.
The clubhouse was shut down by police in April 2007, at the end of Atwell's time as a police undercover agent.
Dressed in a business suit, shirt and tie, Atwell appeared calm as he described the inner workings of the club he joined in 2000.
He noted that some members of the club once wore patches on their vests which said “Filthy Few.”
“Those members of the Hells Angels have killed for the club,” Atwell said.
That has recently been replaced by a patch called “Front Line,” after “Filthy Few” began to attract too much police and media attention, he continued.
He said that anyone hoping to join the club had to be sponsored by at least one member, and then be approved by all members of a chapter, after a probationary period.
“You couldn't join the Hells Angels if you were a cop,” Atwell said. “You couldn't join the Hells Angels if you're a black guy.”
“Any other rules?,” asked Crown Attorney Faiyaz Alibhai.
“Those were the main ones,” Atwell replied.
Thirty days before members vote on whether to allow him, a candidate's photo is emailed to all Hells Angels clubhouses around the world, to see if any members have objections to him joining their ranks, he said.
Cocaine and marijuana were freely consumed inside the Eastern Avenue clubhouse, Atwell said, adding that he often used them himself.
“You go to a biker party, there are guys smoking pot in one corner and guys doing lines of cocaine in another corner,” he said.
When he joined the club, Atwell said he had to pay $1,500 for part-ownership in the clubhouse, weekly dues of $25 and about $50 a month for a defense fund, plus beer and food tickets at parties.
Facing criminal conspiracy charges are John Neal, 60, president of the downtown Toronto Hells Angels, vice-presidents Larry Pooler, 60, and Douglas Myles, 54, and members Mehrdad (Mark) Bahman, 48, and Lorne Campbell, 62.
The bikers showed no emotion as Atwell testified.