Former terror suspect and media publisher Zaky Mallah fears he is living on borrowed time as he finds himself on a hit list amid an escalating gang war in Sydney. Mallah, who runs the Instagram account SCN WorldStar and publishes stories about underworld activities, was warned by NSW Police Raptor Squad detectives that he is a target.
Mallah, 43, told the Daily Mail he is taking extensive measures to survive, including wearing a GPS body camera that would immediately notify police of his location if something were to happen to him. He has also been advised by police to relocate from his home.
The current gang conflict has intensified, marked by the deaths of two men police believe were wrongly targeted. This escalation brings the total gang-related murders in Sydney to six within the past year. The most recent victims include university student Marco Tapia, 23, and Joshua MacDonald, 40, who were killed in separate shootings just two days apart.
MacDonald was fatally shot at a home in Merrylands West, reportedly in a case of mistaken identity, intended for Moshtaba Hafizi, who had previously been warned by police about being a target. The escalating violence has prompted statements from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who acknowledged that for the victims' families, police had not maintained control of street safety. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced an increase in visible police presence in targeted suburbs.
Mallah's warning came after the February kidnapping and death of 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian. Mallah had published text messages that appeared to mock the abductors who mistakenly targeted Baghsarian instead of his neighbor, the father of a businessman with criminal ties. Detectives informed Mallah that his SCN WorldStar page had angered various underworld groups who believed he was favoring one crime family over another. They advised him to shut down the page, but Mallah refused, stating his coverage is impartial.
Mallah has a history of being a public figure with legal entanglements, having been the first person charged under Australia's anti-terrorism laws in 2003. He spent two years in Supermax prison before being acquitted. He has also fought in Syria and gained skills he claims aid his current situation.
He stated that police found no Apple AirTag on his motorbike, a measure he took to ensure his safety, but he sold his older bikes and purchased new ones as a precaution. Mallah reported that he is now frequently traveling to different locations across Australia to evade potential threats. He suggested that his past experiences with intelligence agencies have equipped him with skills for gathering information on those who might wish him harm.
Mallah believes it is only a matter of time before he is attacked but stated his intention to remain in Australia, unlike others on hit lists who choose to go overseas. He expressed hope that police will apprehend those targeting him, though he claims to have gathered his own intelligence on at least one individual believed to be involved, who he says has fled the country.