OFF THE WIRE
A NATIONAL taskforce targeting the Rebels bikie club believes its members have
infiltrated "positions of trust" in up to 20 federal and state government
departments, including the Department of Defence and ASIC.
Officers
attached to Taskforce Attero, run by the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), has
Rebels members and associates with a "foothold" in government ranks.
The
revelations follow a top-to-bottom analysis of the Rebels club by the
ACC.
The names of more than 2000 members and associates across the
country - including wives, girlfriends, friends, prospective members and
nominees for the group - were put through databases to identify their work and
business history, immigration status and tax records.
The Sunday
Telegraph spoke with Attero senior investigator John De Candia and ACC NSW state
manager Warren Gray, who said a small but significant number of people were
red-flagged as part of the exercise.
"We are exposing Rebels and their
associates in many positions of trust right across society, who are there for
the advantage of the group," Mr Gray said
Superintendent De Candia, who
has been leading the taskforce, said several government agencies - the names of
which remain secret - had already taken steps to address their
vulnerabilities.
"There are Rebels members and associates employed or
linked with a number of Commonwealth departments - they (the departments) are
working with us at the moment to address (the issue)," he said. It is understood
up to 20 departments are talking with the ACC about specific employees that are
active or linked to the club.
"I'm not saying in every case their
employment is tainted but, make no mistake, they're not stupid and they will
strategically look at different areas and people so they can get positioned.
They might not talk to that person about anything to do with the Rebels ... for
two years, but when the time is right ... they might only need a tiny skerrick
of information which will be sufficient, but that gives them a foothold into
that department."
Inquiries by The Sunday Telegraph have found Rebel
associates with links to the RTA, Athletics NSW, The Star casino, Botany Bay
Council, Australia Post and the Department of Education and Training. Another
associate, a former NSW police officer, was removed from the force after being
found guilty of selling cocaine and ecstasy to an undercover officer in
2010.
A senior Rebel said the police attention and targeting was based on
unfounded claims of criminality that had no substance.
He said the vast
majority of Rebels members adhered to strict club rules, did not break the law
and were good people with ordinary jobs. The bad eggs, he said, were rarely
patched members of the club.
"They're associates - they're someone who
knows someone, they're not part of our club," the member said. "There's a lot of
guys out there who name drop and that's our biggest problem."
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/bikies-secretly-working-inside-government/story-fndo1sdf-1226589156680#sthash.U3WgyrsC.dpuf
