13 bikies for trial over airport brawl

13 bikies for trial over airport brawl: "Thirteen men will go on trial over a fatal brawl between warring bikie gangs at Sydney Airport 18 months ago that sparked a statewide police crackdown.
An ongoing conflict between the Hells Angels and Comanchero gangs spilled into the public arena with the killing of 29-year-old Anthony Zervas on March 22, 2009.
An autopsy found that Mr Zervas, linked to the Hells Angels, suffered blunt-force head trauma and three stab wounds."Ten Comanchero bikies will stand trial for murder over a 'violent encounter' with rival gang the Hells Angels at Sydney airport, a magistrate has ruled.




Anthony Zervas, 29, was killed during the brawl on March 22, 2009, after a chance meeting of gang members on a domestic flight.



Ten Comanchero were charged with his murder and three Hells Angels were charged with riot and affray.



After eight weeks of submissions at a committal hearing, magistrate John Favretto has found that a properly instructed jury could convict the men on a murder charge,.



'The evidence is capable of satisfying a properly instructed jury...that each of the accused persons have committed an indictable offence,' he said.



The 10 accused are Comanchero boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi, Farres Abounader, Maher Aouli, Tiago Costa, Ismail Eken, Zoran Kiscanin, Frank La Rosa, Christian Menzies, Pomare Pirini and Usama Potrus.



Lawyers for some of the men submitted during the committal hearing that the Comanchero were acting in self-defence.



'It is a matter for a jury whether the actions of Hawi and others were done in the course of self-defence,' Mr Favretto said.



He said the evidence alleged Menzies and Hawi used a bollard to bash Mr Zervas, while Abounader had allegedly stabbed him with a knife.



Mr Zervas died from blunt-force trauma to the head and three stab wounds caused by a knife and scissors.



Some of the accused shook their heads as the decision was made, with one heard to mention 'corruption'.



None of the men applied for bail and the matters have been adjourned to the NSW Supreme Court on November 4.



A decision on the committal of the three Hells Angels charged over the same incident will be given by Mr Favretto later on Thursday.

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