The owners of a Melbourne nightclub were warned by police a fortnight before the venue was targeted in a suspected firebombing attack that is believed to be linked to a recent spate of incidents across the city.
Emergency services were called to the scene of a suspicious fire at La Di Da nightclub – on the corner of King Street and Little Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD – at about 3.30am on Tuesday morning.
A security guard who has worked at the venue for six years told ABC radio on Tuesday that management received a tip from police “two or three weeks ago” warning that La Di Da could be a potential target.
“The security boss got word that this was the next place to be attacked … We were waiting for it,” he said.
The guard added that the venue hadn’t received one of the threatening text messages that were sent to multiple venue owners last week.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said that they couldn’t provide a comment while investigations were ongoing.
Police previously indicated they were aware that perpetrators had compiled a list of venues to target.
Detectives from Operation Eclipse are investigating the cause of Tuesday’s fire at La Di Da to confirm whether it is linked to the recent spate of hospitality venue attacks across the city.
Witnesses on Tuesday morning told police that a car was seen driving away from the venue following the incident. La Di Da was closed at the time and no one was inside.
Photos from the scene show the venue’s glass entrance door smashed, as well as a burnt jerry can tipped on its side.
The incident is suspected to be the latest in a three-month campaign of firebombings, shootings and kidnappings that have targeted Melbourne’s hospitality industry.
A nightclub promoter linked to events at La Di Da – as well as other popular CBD venues including Stamina and Brown Alley – was previously targeted in a botched kidnapping.
The promoter is an associate of Paul Samlidis, who runs events at The Albion. Samlidis was assaulted last month during another attempted kidnapping.
More than 30 firebombings, shootings, home invasions and kidnappings have been linked to the crime spree, which has targeted venues including The Emerson, Bar Bambi, The Albion and bistro France-Soir.
An Iraq-based crime organisation is a prime suspect in the search for the perpetrator of the attacks. The group is believed to be behind threatening messages that were sent to multiple venue owners last week, warning that their businesses would be taken.
“We will take it by force if you don’t comply the police can’t help you its inevitable we won’t stop till we get what we want,” the message read.
Victoria Police established the Operation Eclipse taskforce in April to target “crime syndicates” in relation to the various offences.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
