Accused in deadly Mount Hope home invasion took part in botched B.C. hit

Two men arrested last week in connection with a murder and abduction in Mount Hope are known to police for violent offences, including a failed hit in British Columbia tied to an infamous Vancouver gang.

Hamilton police Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk announced Thursday that the homicide unit had arrested John Bartley, 25, and Gino McCall, 35 in connection with the deadly 2021 home invasion. They are charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault.

A third man, Antoine Chambers, then 25, of Hamilton was arrested last October and also faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault and firearm offences.

Police allege the trio were hired to carry out the violent kidnapping of Faqir Ali from his Glancater Road home in the early morning hours of Sept. 21, 2021. During the home invasion, Faqir's 21-year-old son, Hasnain (Nano) Ali was fatally shot.

Three armed men forced their way into the Ali family home shortly before 3 a.m. and dragged out Faqir Ali - wearing just pyjama bottoms - forcing him into a dark-coloured SUV. His family was home, including his wife, youngest daughter and two sons. The young men tried to save their dad and were shot. Nano was killed and his other son was seriously hurt but survived.

Six hours after the abduction, Faqir was found beaten and dumped near Jimmy Lomax Park off Beach Boulevard. Two SUVs used in the abduction were recovered by police.

Chambers does not have a criminal record but both McCall and Bartley are well known to police.

McCall pleaded guilty in November 2017 to conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a failed hit in British Columbia. He would have been on parole at the time of his Hamilton arrest.

The B.C. case involved two others from Hamilton - Knowah Truth Ferguson and a man identified in court as Witness X - whose identity was protected because of a plea deal.

Court heard that as a young man in Hamilton, Ferguson had a friend who was trying to ingratiate himself with the infamous Vancouver-based gang, the United Nations. Ferguson was told he could make big money if he headed west to carry out targeted killings.

Around his 18th birthday in early 2015, Ferguson met Witness X and the pair travelled to Vancouver by bus on behalf of the U.N. They arrived in Vancouver on March 18 and stayed at the City Centre Motel until early April when they were given an assignment to carry out a hit at the Vancouver International Airport against Damion Ryan, a 37-year-old fully patched member of the Hells Angels.

Court heard Ferguson told Witness X they could make $200,000.

On the day of the attempted hit, Ferguson wore a burqa as a disguise and approached Ryan in the airport food court. But when he pointed the Glock pistol at the back of Ryan's head and pulled the trigger, the gun jammed. Ryan escaped.

After this failed hit, Ferguson and Witness X fled back to their motel and waited for another assignment.

But for this job, two shooters and a driver were deemed necessary and McCall was sent from Hamilton. He arrived at the motel on May 6, joining Ferguson and Witness X. They were given a suitcase full of guns including, an AK-47 automatic rifle, three semi-automatic pistols, a silencer and extra magazines.

The trio were supposed to drive to their target's home in Surrey in a stolen vehicle. Witness X was going to be the driver, Ferguson and McCall were going to be the shooters, court heard. But on June 13, 2015 they waited and waited outside the target's home, but he was nowhere to be found.

After hours they decided to drive back to the motel and try again later. But as they drove early the next day, the owner of the stolen Ford truck they were using spotted his vehicle and called police. Police pulled them over not far from the motel and found them with two cans of gasoline and the suitcase of guns.

Ferguson was sentenced to seven years for the attempted murder and another four years to be served consecutively for conspiracy to commit murder. McCall was sentenced to seven years in prison.

McCall's alleged accomplice in the Ali abduction and shooting, Bartley, has a record for robbery.

In 2016 Bartley (then 20) was among several charged in a home invasion on Hazelton Avenue where two men were stabbed.

If the armed abductors were hired, as police believe, who allegedly hired them remains a mystery.

Bereziuk has previously said police believe the motive was financial.

Ali positioned himself as a prominent Pakistani-Canadian and businessperson, sharing photographs alongside politicians on his personal website. However, property and court records showed he was in financial trouble.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com