El Mezdawi Gang

The al-Najjar Gang, or the El Mezdawi Tribe is a firearm trafficking organization operating in the prosperous districts of Los Santos. The organization was named after its founder, Walid El Mezdawi. Mezdawi was boss from the founding year until he died in prison in 2000. Muhammad al-Najjar took the organization's reigns thereafter.
The organization actively takes part in racketeering, money laundering, extortion and most importantly firearm trafficking. Its associates are known for illegal gambling and loan sharking.
The higher ranks consist of predominantly Arab-Americans as well as members from Balkan countries. It is known that some associates are Eastern European, as well as Albanian, Croatian and Serbian descent.
== History ==
=== Origins ===
The origins of the organization or mob can be traced back to Walid El Mezdawi, a Libyan-American immigrant born in Tripoli, Libya. El Mezdawi transferred to the United States around the 1950s, after the war. Several other Libyans, Algerians, Egyptians and other descendants of the Arab world followed his trail. The progressing city of Los Santos was their main goal.
El Mezdawi fabricated a small yet energetic crew consisting of mainly fellow Libyan-Americans as well as other descendants of the Arab world, namely Karim Madari. Downtown Los Santos was marked as their territory in the early days of its creation. Lacking laborers as well as power, the crew bid welcome to Eastern Europeans, Albanians, Croatians and criminals from the Balkan countries in their ranks.
By doing so, their manpower intensified properly enough to strengthen their income and general power within the city. Regardlessly, the gang remained discreet if not hidden from the more powerful crime families.
Walid El Mezdawi thereafter divided the city's most rich and prosperous parts to several of his associates. Karim Madari was recruited in the progress, he is currently seen as the most successful and discreet.
=== El Mezdawi's regime ===
El Mezdawi allowed a lot of nationalities and ethnicities in his grouping. Arabs and muslims were favored, despite. Rules were still heavily enforced and regardless of being a criminal, Walid El Mezdawi banned the drug trade and usage among members. El Mezdawi was known to enforce a series of rules coming from his religion, although he was unable to maintain all.
The illegal gambling and gambling in casinos were uphold, being located in a city like Los Santos. Firearm trafficking became their greatest form of income and the group acquired status for it.
In the mid-70s the organization rescued territory from a fallen and small-time Italian-American crime family after their fall and loss of activity. El Mezdawi and his grouping replaced their essence and presence in Los Santos, namely around downtown LS.
At this stage, the other criminal enterprises caught notice of the Arab traffickers and created a form of friendship with them. Their relationship was stiff, though there were no nuisances or any disorder. The gang simply left the neighboring criminals be and had little to no contact with them, to keep peace.
In 1992, a second empire resulted in bowing down forever. This caused the El Mezdawi gang to divide territory once more, instructing another lieutenant of theirs to rule the free and neutral grounds. Thereafter, remnants and associates of the fallen networks’ lower branch were added to the Mezdawi ranks. Russian-Americans, Eastern Europeans and Albanians were a majority.
Due to the expansion of power and influx of members, El Mezdawi became known to law enforcement as his name on the street rang out. Consequently, Walid El Mezdawi was arrested and jailed in the year of 1995. Muhammad al-Najjar was to wear the crown until El Mezdawi's release, who subsequently died behind bars in 2000.
=== The al-Najjar Tribe ===
For many years the El Mezdawi gang remained quiet and unseen on the radar of law enforcement. "The Arabs", as they were dubbed by other criminal crews. Gradually the gang grew in size and so did their activities. In the 1960s to the 1970s, the crime organization began executing operations such as illegal gambling, money laundering, loan sharking and even extortion.
Muhammad al-Najjar, who had already led the crew for five years was now the official boss of the gang. Law enforcement was already aware of al-Najjar's position as the previous right hand, and had assumed al-Najjar was now in charge. The casefile edited the name to The al-Najjar Tribe.
Al-Najjar went to uphold El Mezdawi's islamic rules, partially. The drug trade remained a prohibited path. Extortion was added to the schedule, as well as an increase of money laundering. Muhammad controlled many night clubs and casinos after his crowning, and promoted his son, Marouane, to one of his lieutenants.
Originally, Karim Madari was meant to sit on the throne, and law enforcement is still unsure as to why al-Najjar reigns as of today.
==== Inner Conflicts ====
Under al-Najjar's control, many Irish-Americans saw fortune and prosperity in the Arab mafia and joined their lower ranks. Consequently, associates were mixed and often clashed.
Due to this, it is claimed that over fifty lower ranks, mostly of Italian-American, Irish-American and Eastern European descent disappeared in a murderous feast concerning inner struggles among the lower ranks. It was Muhammad who ultimately had the survivors liquidated to prevent further attention from both media and law enforcement.
It is said al-Najjar holds a grudge for Italian-Americans, as well as Irish-Americans over this troublesome series of events.
==== San Quentin and Spring Cleaning ====
From 2002 to 2005, law enforcement began sending in informants and detectives to tear down the organization's roots and exterminate their entire existence. Partially, they succeeded. Over fourty members, both lower and higher ranks were arrested for firearm trafficking and money laundering in the period of three years.
With this, the tribe went off-course and lost a portion of their power. Marouane al-Najjar demanded a streak of deaths. His victims were supposedly informants, loose connections and useless members. Another bundle of associates and up and coming potential lieutenants were murdered.
The disappearances of namely Atif Halabi, Ousama Salib, Marouane Atiyeh and Youssef Bouzanih were confirmed. All four were known higher ranks of the organization, suspected of ratting on Muhammad’s right hand man.
==== Present times ====
Muhammad al-Najjar has officially sat on the throne for thirteen years now, excluding his five years during El Mezdawi's imprisonment.
Nowadays, the organization remains low key with a select few lieutenants wisely picked by al-Najjar himself, who serve as his second in command. The tribe has loosened its ties with low-key members who may only speak with their leading footmen. Lieutenants and al-Najjar himself remain shadowed as of now. According to law enforcement, the network's membership has been decimated, estimating of around 10 confirmed soldiers.
== Historical and current membership ==
=== Leadership ===
* (?) - 2000 — Walid El Mezdawi — The organization's original founder and developer. El Mezdawi influenced a portion of Los Santos' casinos and night clubs. He died in prison after being imprisoned for firearm trafficking in his younger days in 2000.
** Acting - 2000 - present —[Muhammad al-Najjar — Became acting boss after El Mezdawi's imprisonment surrounding 2000.
* 2000 - current — Muhammad al-Najjar — Current boss of the organization after Walid El Mezdawi's death behind bars.
** 2000 - present — Anwar al-Zannati — Egyptian-American extremist in charge along with al-Najjar.
=== Lieutenants ===
* (?) - present — Youssef Mansour — A lieutenant of Algerian descent operating in south LS. Mansour and his crew are known for running legal businesses and money laundering for the organization.
* (?) - present — Nabil Zaafaran — Lieutenant of the Vinewood and Temple faction, running alongside his unnamed right-hand man, after Marouane al-Najjar's imprisonment.
=== Soldiers ===
* 2000 - present — Mohamed Gardouh — A Moroccan soldier brought in by El Mezdawi shortly before his death.
* 2007 - present — Gregory Lumaj — An Albanian-American soldier.
* 2009 - present — Denis Atlahovics — Russian-Latvian footman under Zaafaran.
Note: most soldiers are unknown as of now, of which two are confirmed. It is implied that there are approximately twenty more soldiers divided under three lieutenants.
==Trivia & Rumors==
*It is said the El Mezdawi gang has connections or serves as a branch to al-Qaeda.
*In 1983, it was said Walid El Mezdawi died and a copy or double replaced him.
Category:Illegal faction