THE man bashed to death by bikies on Sunday was a non-bikie who may have been killed in a case of mistaken identity.

Anthony "Tony" Zervas, 29, was bashed with metal bollards in a domestic terminal at Sydney Airport shortly after getting off a flight with his brother Peter and the president of the Hells Angels Guildford chapter, Derek Wainohu.

Peter Zervas was recently released from jail. He had served more than three years of a five-year sentence after he fired at a group of people on New Year's Day 2005. The Zervas brothers were travelling to Sydney with Mr Wainohu after attending to interstate club business.

Some sources suggested the attackers might have believed the man was a member of the Hells Angels.

A source also said a Bandido had either been on the aircraft or met the Hells Angels when they arrived in Sydney, and he had became involved in the brawl with members of the Comanchero.

The Comanchero city chapter president, Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi, was said to have sent out a message of conciliation yesterday.

The source said: "One of the Bandidos members was with the [Hells Angels] but he was just there; he was a friend of one of the Angels. Hawi told the Bandidos that he has no beef with them … and said: 'We thought he was an Angel, that's all.' But he wasn't hurt, so the Bandits are all right with it."