Fadi Ibrahim's companion no stranger to violence

John Ibrahim with bodyguards
AS FADI IBRAHIM had surgery to remove part of his stomach, it emerged yesterday that the 23-year-old woman who was shot next to him in his Lamborghini on Friday was no stranger to violence.

Three years earlier her then fiance, a suspect in a double-stabbing, was shot in the back at a park in Lakemba.

Mr Ibrahim's brother, the Kings Cross nightclub owner John Ibrahim, arrived at Royal North Shore Hospital shortly before 6 o'clock last night - about two hours after his brother underwent surgery that lasted eight hours. He remained in a critical but stable condition last night.

The operation was the fourth since he was shot five times outside his home at Castle Cove.

John Ibrahim issued a statement through his lawyer rejecting the idea of retaliation for the attack on his brother and Shayda Bastani-Rad.

"My client's sole concern is for the welfare of his beloved brother Fadi," the statement from the lawyer Stephen Alexander said. "[John Ibrahim] wishes to dispel any speculation that there will be retaliation by, or on behalf of, the Ibrahim family."

At 6.40pm, a news cameraman was punched in the back by a man earlier seen with John Ibrahim, and the incident was reported to police.

Asked about Fadi Ibrahim's welfare, Mr Alexander said: "Fadi is well, thank you."

The statement said John Ibrahim had "absolute faith in the police investigation" and was confident the perpetrator or perpetrators would be brought to justice. He also thanked hospital staff for their "professional treatment and care".

Ms Bastani-Rad, who was shot in the thigh, was released from hospital on Saturday. It is believed she is a second cousin of the Ibrahim brothers.

Mr Alexander asked for privacy on her behalf. "The young female … was nothing more than a passenger in the vehicle when this incident took place."

The Herald, which could not reach her for comment, has learnt she was once engaged to Faouzi Abou-Jibal, an associate of the Ibrahims, who was shot in the back in May 2006.

At the time he was wanted over the stabbing of the Fat Pizza actor George Nassour and his brother, Robin, at Chiswick in January of that year. Fadi Ibrahim's brother Michael pleaded guilty to Robin's manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of 6½ years' jail.