Bikie boss had tip-off
From: By Neil Mercer
June 11, 2006
A COVERT New South Wales police operation against a bikie gang leader
ended in failure after he was tipped off his Cronulla unit was bugged.
Detectives involved in the exercise believe the leak, to Nomads boss Sam
Ibrahim, came from within the NSW Crime Commission.
Sources told The Sunday Telegraph that despite an official complaint,
the person suspected of the tip-off, a civilian, was never properly
investigated.
It is not the first time someone from the commission has been accused of
leaking sensitive information.
Last year, alleged cocaine syndicate member, Michael Hurley, went on the
run after apparently receiving a "heads-up" he was about to be arrested.
The Australian Federal Police blamed the commission, while the latter
blamed the AFP.
NSW police sources said the operation against Ibrahim, in about 2002,
initially went well. "They were picking up some quality information,"
said one source.
But after about a month, an officer monitoring Ibrahim's conversations
heard a criminal warn the bikie boss he was under electronic
surveillance.
The criminal, who appeared before the Wood Royal Commission under the
code name of KX11, was heard telling Ibrahim: "My contact tells me
there's a bug in the house."
He then described his contact, saying he had previously worked in law
enforcement and now worked in the city.
Horrified detectives then listened as Ibrahim and his mates searched the
unit, finally finding the device and pulling it from its hiding place.
NSW police later learned KX11 had been in contact with a civilian at the
crime commission. The Sunday Telegraph has been told an official
complaint was lodged. According to the sources, nothing was done.
It's believed that Internal Affairs decided it had no jurisdiction over
a civilian from the commission.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19427063-2,00.html