Qld: Six Bandidos to face court over Rebels fire

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2007
Qld: Six Bandidos to face court over Rebels fire

BRISBANE, April 15 AAP - Six men, including five members of the Bandidos motorcycle
gang, will appear in a Brisbane court tomorrow, charged over the arson of a rival bikie
gang's clubhouse.

Superintendent Rob Weir, of the Organised Crime Squad, today said five Bandidos' members,
including current and former presidents, had been charged with setting fire to a Rebels
clubhouse on March 27.

A sixth person, an associate of the club members, also has been charged over the incident
and will also appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court.

The clubhouse at Albion, on Brisbane's inner-north will be demolished after the blaze
destroyed the entire top floor of the two-storey building and caused severe smoke and
water damage to the lower floor.

Inspector Weir said the arson was believed to be an act of retaliation following increasingly
violent clashes between the rival gangs.

The fire came after about 20 men from the Rebels and rival club the Bandidos were involved
in a fierce brawl near Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in February.

"We will be alleging that it was an act of retaliation and that was their purpose ...," he said.

The six people arrested yesterday are currently in police custody awaiting their court
appearance in Brisbane Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Their names have yet to be released but those charged include a 38-year-old Kulangoor
man, two men aged 34 and 47 from Chambers Flats, a 32-year-old Morayfield man, a 38-year-old
Stony Creek man and 45-year-old from Regents Park.

However, Inspector Weir would not rule out further charges and said the recently established
Task Force Hydra would continue to investigate Queensland's outlaw motorcycle gangs.

"I can assure the public that Task Force Hydra will continue to investigate, most vigorously,
this group and other outlaw motorcycle groups," he said.

AAP ews/jt/cdh

KEYWORD: BIKIES NIGHTLEAD

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