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No Gangsters in Paradise

By: Mahmood Fazal
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  • Summary

  • Please note: This series contains mature themes and listener discretion is advised.

    At the turn of the millennium, Western Sydney was a terrifying gangland. At the heart of the frenzy was the Darwiche-Razzak family conflict – a Romeo-and-Juliet style tragedy complicated by honour codes, politics and drive-by shootings. Journalist Mahmood Fazal draws on his own experiences as a gang member to tell the inside story of Sydney's Lebanese gang wars, to pinpoint why young Muslims just like him commit their lives to violence.

    Fazal delves into the city's cultural divide, the special police task force that dealt with the conflict, and what life is really like behind bars. Tough questions emerge from the investigation: Why did these young people re-enact in Australia the experience of a Middle-Eastern war they never knew and which their parents hoped to leave behind? What role did prejudice play in the police's response to the conflict? And how did Eddie Darwiche get his hands on ten rocket launchers?

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members. You can download all 12 episodes to your Library now.

    ©2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd (P)2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: The Western Suburbs
    Oct 13 2019

    Following a detailed account of a brutal daylight execution outside a Turkish fast food restaurant, we trace the beginnings of the drug trade in the Western suburbs, as it evolved with the maligned caricature of the Western Sydney Muslim stereotype.

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    25 mins
  • Ep. 2: Kneecapping
    Oct 13 2019

    A dispute over drug territory between two Lebanese crime families spirals into a series of tit for tat shootings that seek to preserve the honour of each family.

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    39 mins
  • Ep. 3: Sharia Law
    Oct 13 2019

    Islamophobia and the cultural divide creates an insular community within the western suburbs. The political climate of the era has a huge influence on everyone’s relationships, choices and the harsh repercussions that comes with them.

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    30 mins

What listeners say about No Gangsters in Paradise

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fantastic podcast with some minor bias flaws

I feel this was a very well researched, and superbly presented podcast. Mr Fazal has done an incredible job with this and I feel it is more than worthy of listening too.

However some flaws stem from a slight bias of the views of Mr Fazal himself. In episode 8 he proclaims that the justice system was too harsh by giving life without parole towards three notorious criminals who murdered an innocent woman in an attack on a rival gang and presents that the murder of one person does not equate to no chance for redemption, he forgets about cases like the Anita Cobby Murder where the criminals were all sentenced to life without parole for the murder of one innocent woman. Does he feel that those evil men who murdered Anita deserve redemption too? I would doubt that.

I do agree with some points that Mr Fazal makes such as the negative stereotype of many peace loving Muslim people and that an entire community cannot be blamed for the actions of a select few. I do believe that the vast majority of Muslim men and women are peaceful law abiding people who do much good for our country and I do not believe that the entire Muslim community should be made to apologize for the actions of extremists, that is very unfair to the vast majority of innocent people.
But Mr Fazal does seem to gloss over issues that do affect Muslim communities in a negative way such as failing to assimilate into Australian culture and he does not really give any ideas as to how communities can be more open to changing with the times and working with law enforcement to stop the gangs.
He seems to be content by simply blaming society and not looking more deeper into the issue from all sides.

An excellent podcast but some of the views presented by Mr Fazai are more of an opinion rather than a critical thinking view.
I still give 5 stars for the good work, but please be aware that there are biases in this podcast.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great story and well researched

great story, awesome narration. I found the episodes to take away from the story and think I would have preferred full book style vs multiple episodes.
A fair bit of re explaining elements of the story/constantly explaining the innocence of non gang related family members etc I understand is a very important message the author is portraying but for me it kinda took away from mood at the most gripping moments.
Still plan on listening again! and will re evaluate on second time through.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So much more than a gangster story

I'm not really much of a fan of 'gangster stories' but this podcast is so much more than that. It's about family, a city divided, migrants adapting to a new world and the context of religious belief. Glad I gave it a shot!

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7 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great detailed story, but so biased

Love the book, great story, I suppose well researched, great sources but so much blame at general society that starts to feel like propaganda. BTW I don’t think it is a propaganda. Author puts a lot of blame at society, police and Legal system, without really saying what he would like instead. So though I have enjoyed this. I cannot help but feel, that author needs to be empathetic toward other non-Middle eastern Australians as well.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excuses

A gripping tale of fantasy and how to make excuses for doing dumb shit.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating

This was easily one of the best podcasts I have ever listened to. Captivating and raw.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Bingeworthy series!

I would recommend giving this a listen even if you're not into crime podcast/audiobooks. It's a very well put together piece. Mahmood Fazal does a wonderful job of giving an introspective outlook on the hardships faced by young Muslim men growing up in the suburbs of Australia.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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outstanding

I listened to this from beginning to end in a single sitting. I highly recommend it

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another amazing piece by mahmood!

If anyone is familiar with mahmood's work with vice and others then you will know how talented and authentic this man is.
This 12 part series was not only an extension of his already impressive portfolio of work but the first time we as readers or listeners have been given such an in-depth piece. Keep up the great work brother!

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great listen

A brilliant insight into a world all too often misrepresented by media and assumptions.
very interesting, I binged it! loved it

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