High security and Hells Angels at Macchour Chaouk funeral

Members of the notorious bikie gang arrived at Preston Mosque and were embracing outside the building as the  service got underway.

Flanked by another relative Mohamed, Ali attacked what he said was the media’s “exaggeration” and “beat-ups” in describing the brutal slaying as an “underworld killing”.

Instead he presented the family’s version of events in which Macchour had been “gunned down in cold blood”, disputing suggestions the family home was a compound, but was instead “modest”.

“He was killed in his own backyard in front of his three grandchildren, the oldest of them is seven years old.”

“He was murdered in front of his wife and daughter-in-law. The murderer threatened to kill Macchour’s wife before he ran away.”

Attacking what he claimed was “media beat-ups” about the case, he said the family said it hoped “the Australian justice system and police will secure the rights of the innocent victim and his family in bringing the killer/killers of this terrible crime to justice”.

Police had arrived in force at the funeral of the slain crime figure as the family warned it would not grieve - yet.

At least a dozen police descended at the Preston mosque on Cramer St, before the 11.30am start of the expected two-hour service, before Chaouk's body is taken to the Fawkner Cemetery.

Police earlier warned the large media contingent waiting nearby that authorities could not guarantee their safety,  with most outlets bringing their own security guards.

Authorities were ready for any tense scenes before the service, with a long-standing antagonistic relationship between police and the Chaouk family.

In a death notice published in the

Herald Sun

, Hudson and Christopher Hudson parents' Terry and Anne say Chaouk will be "always remembered".

Chris Hudson's name is followed by the words Hells Angels MC.

He is serving a minimum 35-year prison term over a city shooting rampage in which solicitor Brendan Keilar died and Dutch backpacker Paul De Waard and Melbourne woman Kaera Douglas were badly wounded.

A cousin of the Chaouks, 22-year-old Ahmed Hablas, has been charged with Mohammed Haddara's death.

A death notice was also lodged by Chaouk's sons Ali and Matwali, who are in prison on remand after being charged with serious offences.

They wrote their father was "one of a kind" and would always be in their hearts.

Neither of the sons will be at the funeral.

"No application has been received by any family members to go to the funeral," a Corrections Victoria spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said CV would not discuss any measures designed to protect Ali or Matwali Chaouk since their father's death.

"We do not discuss individual prisoner movements," she said. "However, we have made arrangements accordingly to ensure security."

A Chaouk family spokesman said no wake would be held on Monday.

"There is going to be no wake. We won't start grieving until the right thing happens. We won't have a wake until other right people are buried. You understand."

Macchour Chaouk will be buried at Fawkner Cemetery, alongside son Mohamed who died when shot by police in a 2005 raid.

Homicide squad detectives met up to 100 members of the Chaouk family at the Geelong Rd property where Friday's murder happened.

Det Sen-Sgt Ron Iddles said he could not comment on the investigation but the meeting had been productive.

"The purpose was to appraise them of the current status of the investigation and address any concerns they may have," he said.