Let me take a close look at one when I go into work in the morning, I don't think that removing the oil filter is necessary but if it facilitates it in any way then by all means yank that sucker out of the way. You may in fact need something kinky to drive that Torx out of the way, one thing that has worked for me in the past is just a simple short torx bit like you would put in a bit holder. Take that bit and use a 1/4" wrench to spin it. All of those kind of bits are 1/4" hex. I do not know if you can find it in a regular tool store but some of the tool trucks carry low clearance wrenches that are made just for those 1/4" hex bit, I have a few of them in different lengths and angles. Something like this may be what you need to get in there.

Mark