Daily London
An alleged Australian underworld kingpin declared “one of the most dangerous men in the world” has reportedly been arrested in Iraq.
Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council posted a notice that authorities there had detained Kazem Hamad, identified as “Kadhim Malik Hamad Rabah al-Hajami”, in connection with a drug crimes investigation.
He was deported from Australia to his native Iraq in 2023 after serving a prison term for drug offences.
“The Hamad syndicate are responsible for a significant number of serious offences, including arsons, extortions [and] shootings linked to the illicit tobacco trade as well as the importation and distribution of illicit tobacco,” the report reads, according to The Age.
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council notice says Hamad was detained “in response to an official request from Australia”.
“The accused is one of the most dangerous wanted men in the world,” the release said.
It accused Hamad of involvement with prominent Australian and Middle Eastern crime gangs.
Hamad is suspected of coordinating the arson attack that killed innocent Melbourne woman Katie Tangey in January 2025 at a Truganina home.
Police said the alleged attack was targeted but took place at the wrong address, and that Tangey had no link to the illicit tobacco trade.
A $500,000 reward has been offered for information over the firebombing.
Hamad is also suspected of involvement with the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024, according to The Age law and justice editor Chris Vedelago, who broke the story this morning.
Vedelago told 3AW this morning he had been “stunned” by the news.
“I never actually thought it would happen,” he said.
Vedelago said it was Hamad’s alleged involvement in the synagogue attack which motivated the push for an arrest, with investigators suspecting he had acted with the involvement of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Australia ejected the Iranian ambassador from the country last August after federal police alleged the Guard was behind a number of antisemitic attacks around the country.
The federal attorney-general’s office declined to disclose any details.
“As a matter of longstanding policy, the Australian government does not disclose whether it has made or received an extradition request to or from another country or comment on the details of its consideration of particular cases,” a spokesperson said.
9news.com.au has contacted the Australian Federal Police for comment.
The Age investigative reporter Richard Baker said the arrest was a ”massive coup” for Australian law enforcement.
“There’s a perception that once you get out of the country… we’re hit and miss at getting them back,” he told 3AW.
He said the arrest might put fear into a number of underworld figures who resided overseas but still were involved in affairs in Australia.
