Omar Haouchar, the brother of an accused drug kingpin, has been denied bail following his alleged involvement in a plot to murder rival gang member Andre Kallita outside a Sydney police station. Police claim that in December 2023, members of the Haouchar crime network used the encrypted messaging app Threema to orchestrate the hit. The chat, labelled “URGENT,” featured a user identified as “Invisible,” believed to be Haouchar.
The plan reportedly involved a lookout at the police station to signal two shooters waiting nearby when Kallita arrived for bail. Prosecutors also allege discussions of having a getaway car ready to facilitate the escape. During a court appearance via video link from a maximum-security facility, Justice Desmond Fagan rejected Haouchar’s bail request, citing his extensive history of violent offences, which includes a nine-year sentence for numerous crimes.
Haouchar’s lawyer argued that there was no solid evidence linking him to the “Invisible” handle, noting discrepancies in identifying numbers used in the chats. However, Justice Fagan maintained that the prosecution’s case remained strong enough to deny bail, highlighting other conversations suggesting that “Invisible” was indeed Haouchar. The Haouchar syndicate, linked to extensive illegal activities and criminal networks, has drawn significant police attention, especially considering the ongoing manhunt for its leader, Bilal Haouchar.