News

Call it red, white and missing in action.

For more than a week, the often-visited website of the Toronto Hells Angels has been a no-show.

No paeans to freedom and denunciations of state power. No accounts of police malfeasance or messages of support for Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. No generously endowed biker chicks cavorting at picnics.

Until earlier this month, Real Deal News, the lively cyberspace voice of the Angels' biggest Canadian chapter, was updated so regularly it was almost akin to a wire service, chock-a-block with items of interest to its readers.

Now, at least for the moment, it's gone.

But where?

"I have no idea," long-time spokesman Donny Petersen said when reached yesterday at his Heavy Duty Cycles store on Kingston Road.

Asked whether he knew of anybody who might be able to shed some light, Mr. Petersen replied "No comment," and hung up.

Real Deal's absence occurs at a time when stakes appear high for the chapter, whose assorted legal difficulties include the seizure of its Toronto clubhouse and cross-country raids last April that in Ontario scooped up more than 30 Hells Angels or associates, most on drug or organized-crime charges.

The site's disappearance, however, may prove temporary.

All last week, would-be visitors were advised it was not available.

Then, yesterday morning, the ghost of Red and White Inc. - the company in whose name Real Deal is registered - reappeared, stating it is now registered with Vancouver-based Webnames.ca., a domain name registrar and Internet service provider.

There is still no biker-related content, just a bland menu of generic consumer and lifestyle topics.

An agent at Webnames, however, said that as of 8:30 a.m. local time, Red and White had switched its business from Bell to Webnames.

But there is still no sign of the website itself.

So when might it reappear?

"I have no idea," the agent said. "I suggest you contact the owner of the site."

Easier said than done.

Red and White's manager is listed as one Roy Dale, proprietor of a clothing and gift retail outlet on Etobicoke's Lake Shore Boulevard.

But efforts to reach Mr. Dale at the phone number included with the listing foundered.

"There's nobody here by that name, this is a private number," said a woman who answered the phone.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't call again."

With a report from Cassandra Drudi