OFF THE WIRE
Yoni Bashan
dailytelegraph.com.au
Screen shot of motorcycle gang Comanchero leader and shooting victim Vincenzo Focarelli being loaded into an ambulance after being shot. Picture: Channel Nine News. Source: The Sunday Telegraph
A SYDNEY hit squad was behind the attempted murder of Adelaide bikie boss Vincenzo Focarelli, who was shot four times at close range.
His "execution order" was signed off at a Sydney meeting of Comanchero gang members who flew interstate to carry out the hit.The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that three meetings were held in Sydney involving senior Comanchero bikie figures before the double shooting last Sunday.
Those present at the three meetings included members of the Sydney and Victorian
Comanchero branches, and the suspected gunman -- a South Australian man of Eastern European origins.
The last meeting took place in the week of January 20, just days before Mr Focarelli -- the self-proclaimed president of the South Australian Comancheros -- was shot.
His stepson, Giovanni, 23, was killed during the attack, which NSW police believe may be linked to a drug dispute in Sydney.
This includes a belief within the gang that Mr Focarelli had been holding back drug profits from the Comancheros' Sydney-based national chapter.
Mr Focarelli had also fallen out of favour with his fellow gang members for courting media attention and posting videos of himself on the video-sharing website YouTube.
The man suspected of carrying out the shootings is currently facing a number of criminal charges in Adelaide, but was allowed to have his bail varied three times in order to travel to Sydney.
The Sunday Telegraph has agreed to the request of authorities not to publish the man's name or photograph for investigative purposes.
Police have confirmed that the meetings at which Mr Focarelli's fate was decided coincided with the dates supplied to the court by the suspected hit man.
The man asked the court to travel to Sydney last year between November 17-22,
December 2-5, and this year between January 20-30. The last meeting took place days before the double shooting.
Police are pursuing a "strong" line of inquiry that up to four Sydney Comanchero members accompanied the shooter -- who is now the incoming president of the South Australian Comanchero gang -- back to Adelaide.
It is still unclear why the others accompanied him, but police believe it was either for protection or support in the aftermath of the violence.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told that the South Australian Major Crime Investigation Branch is investigating the murder and attempted murder, with assistance from the NSW Gangs Squad.
A police spokesman said the State Crime Command was monitoring the case.
"The Gangs Squad is liaising with South Australian Police in respect to this investigation and assistance will be provided if requested," he said.
It is understood that the assistance so far has included a number of intelligence holdings on key individuals inside the Comanchero gang.
