From News.Com.Au
H/T CockneyDoll with thanks
POLICE have discovered pictures of Osama bin Laden at a Gold Coast home linked to a worrying new bikie gang called Soldiers of Islam, whose members include former Iraqi soldiers.
Photos of the fugitive Al Qa’ida leader were found recently at the home of a gang member during a criminal investigation.
Soldiers of Islam, also known as Sons of Islam, is believed to be an offshoot of outlaw bikie gang the Bandidos, which has a clubhouse at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast.
Sources say the gang, comprising young Muslim men who sport “SOI” tattoos, has sprung up on the Glitter Strip relatively recently.
While only small in membership, the gang is coming under increasing attention from police investigating bikie links to crimes involving drugs, guns and violence.
“They are relatively new on the Gold Coast scene but seem to be involving themselves in some scary things,” a source said.
“They are associated with the Bandidos. Some of the members are ex-Iraqi soldiers with weapons training, so it’s quite a worry”
The Courier-Mail understands that apart from the Bin Laden photos, police did not find any terrorism-related material at the Soldiers of Islam member’s house.
Middle Eastern gangs, while active in Sydney, have only recently been making their presence felt in Queensland and particularly on the Gold Coast.
Police have identified bikies from Sydney as being involved in the drive-by shooting murder of Gold Coast father-of-two Omega Ruston outside McDonald’s at Burleigh Heads on Australia Day 2008. The case remains unsolved.
One of the Coast’s most notorious bikies is Lebanese-born Yassar Bakir, who joined the high-profile Finks gang several years ago.
Bakir was last month convicted of importing GBL, a chemical used to make the powerful drug “fantasy”, and was jailed for six years.
The trial heard Bakir used violence and threats to force another man to import the drug into Australia from China.
Bakir was also charged with the attempted murder of a former professional rugby player, cage fighter and Japanese Yakuza bodyguard, who was pumped with bullets on the Southport Spit in 2006. However, the charges were dropped after the victim failed to show up to court to testify.
Another Finks bikie of Middle Eastern descent, Richard Savage, received a suspended sentence in 2007 after admitting to a violent rampage at Gold Coast Hospital because of delays in his wife getting haemorrhoid surgery.
The court heard Savage told terrified nurses he was “the king of the Gold Coast” and threatened to get 30 Finks to “trash the hospital until his wife was operated on”.
I am surprised the other bike gangs stand for this one.
I know the outlaw bike gangs go to war all the time and often drive rival gangs out of the country.
The “NEW” foriegn gangs rising on the strip are a direct result of taking the “mongrel” off the coast.. You take security out the clubs and say they are heavy handed .. Many , feeling wronged by the system that is supposed too keep them safe lose there security license and for some the ability too make honest $$$$.. Than you have, from 10 older, bearded diggers an additional 20 to 30 ex bouncers with a chip on there shoulder after getting screwed out of the industry that become a crew of intimidating proportions, period.. But, the strip is run and done with minimal and less violence than now.. BUT, WAIT.. the crew gets hounded, and jailed for medium crime effectively taking them off the street for what???? The SOI… The SONS OF ISLAM!!!! to evolve??? and you, the media, wonder why?? Why these Islam gangs are able to even step on the strip, same as the massive Islander gang problem on the strip now… It never was like that before, but Police dont address that as that would be racist? Theres very few good security there or in the whole country now due too these stringent laws on licences and theres no order at all.. FEAR, keeps the hords in line.. Dif is, Aussies will punch on & have a beer, Islanders, will attack 10 on 1 and Islam gangs will just shoot… WAKE UP !!