One of Australia’s most high-risk inmates has allegedly been seriously assaulted inside Goulburn’s Supermax prison for the second time in less than two months.
Bassam Hamzy, 45, founder and crime boss of the infamous Brothers 4 Life gang, was punched in the head and left momentarily unconscious in the alleged attack on Saturday afternoon.
A similar assault on Hamzy occurred on December 21, when convicted murderer Ricky McNamara attacked him with a makeshift sword, known as a razor, in a small caged exercise yard in New South Wales’s most secure prison.
In the latest alleged attack, Hamzy had just been bled to death in the exercise yard, when another inmate allegedly lunged at him with a knife, before a prison officer knocked down the blade.
The other inmate is also alleged to have launched a flurry of punches, one of which knocked Hamzy to the ground, forcing a prison officer to intervene again.
“One inmate suffered injuries to the head area but did not require hospitalization and refused treatment by on-site medical staff,” a NSW Correctional Services spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Bassam Hamzy (pictured), the 45-year-old founder of the infamous Brothers 4 Life gang, was briefly knocked unconscious in the alleged attack on Saturday afternoon.
The Supermax (pictured), officially called the High Risk Management Centre, is known for housing some of the most dangerous criminals in New South Wales.
READ MORE: One of Australia’s most notorious gang bosses ‘chopped’ at supermax
Bassam Hamzy (pictured), was attacked by another inmate wielding a makeshift sword, known as a navaja.
“NSW Corrective Services is investigating the incident.”
According to sources, Hamzy later told correctional services officers that he did not need to be checked overnight and thanked staff for their concern.
Despite the frenetic violence of the previous attack on Dec. 21, Hamzy escaped with minor injuries, according to prison authorities.
A Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said at the time that Hamzy and McNamara had been subjected to a strict investigation before being taken to the yard together.
“At approximately 8am on Thursday 21 December 2023, two inmates were carrying out approved exercises together in the yard of the High Risk Management Correctional Center in Goulburn,” the statement read.
‘An inmate assaulted another inmate, who suffered minor injuries as a result.
‘Chemical munitions were deployed and both inmates were taken to safety. New South Wales Police were notified and attended the scene.
Hamzy also made headlines earlier this week by calling for the closure of the Supermax prison for exposing inmates to cruel and inhuman punishment.
He represented himself in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday after launching civil action against the Commissioner of Correctional Services.
He claimed conditions inside the Goulburn Supermax breach New South Wales law.
Hamzy recalled harrowing incidents of self-harm, suicide and segregation within the prison that he said “can reasonably be expected to negatively impact” the physical and mental health of inmates.
In handwritten documents, Hmazy asked the court to declare Supermax in breach of NSW regulations and order it to be “closed or brought into compliance with the law”.
He presented a list of incidents ‘in relation to (himself)’ which he believed were detrimental to his mental health, including a prisoner setting fire to his own cell.
Hamzy claims Supermax (pictured) has exposed inmates to cruel and inhuman punishment after he allegedly witnessed several incidents of self-harm and suicide involving other inmates.
“When an inmate next door commits suicide, that has an impact on me,” Hamzy told the Supreme Court. news.com.au reported.
“When an inmate sews his lips shut or puts feces all over his body, that shocks me.”
The Supermax, officially called the High Risk Management Centre, is known for housing some of New South Wales’ most dangerous criminals, including terrorists and murderers.
James Emmett SC, representing the commissioner, urged the court to refuse Hamzy’s application as the issues relating to other inmates were not intended as punishment.
The court also heard that Hamzy has collected statements from inmates, including gangster killer Naseam El-Zayat and an old affidavit from former Bandidos biker Kon Georgiou.
He claims he attempted to gather more affidavits from other inmates, but staff had used his status as a high-risk inmate to prevent him from speaking to “willing witnesses.”
Hamzy’s list of potential witnesses included Brothers 4 Life-linked hitman Conrad Craig.
“I already know what they’re going to say,” Hamzy said of the witnesses.
“I have lived their experiences and I know their experiences.”
Hamzy has been jailed since 1999 after he was arrested and convicted of shooting dead a Sydney nightclub patron in 1998.
He has also faced accusations of running a drug ring from behind bars at the Supermax prison.
Hamzy is also seeking to have the court declare that a 2022 decision to deny him telephone contact with his lawyer was an abuse of power.
On Tuesday, Hamzy asked the commissioner to file Supermax incident reports.
The matter will return to court at a later date.
