Flydubai co-pilot began radicalisation in Australia, UAE prosecutors say
News Source
β’Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:58:59 GMT
π° What Happened
A flydubai co-pilot tried to take over a plane flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September. There were 182 people on board. Passengers and crew stopped him. UAE prosecutors said on Friday that the co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, 29, was radicalised while studying in Melbourne.
Prosecutors said his shift towards extremism began at RMIT University. He was influenced by hardline ideology through extremist books and online content. He allegedly told prosecutors he was inspired by the 9/11 attacks of 2001.
π The Backstory
al-Hammami is an Omani national. He studied in Australia for about two years until 2017. RMIT said he studied at its Melbourne campus but did not finish an engineering course. Australia's counter-terrorism team opened an investigation last weekend.
The UAE said he also visited a mosque and met people linked to a group called My Centre. He joined flydubai in January 2026. Investigators found he had passed all the airline's background checks.
π― Why It Matters
This raises hard questions about how people are checked before they get jobs that put many lives at risk. It also affects how Australia watches for extremism.
A flydubai co-pilot tried to take over a plane flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September. There were 182 people on board. Passengers and crew stopped him. UAE prosecutors said on Friday that the co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, 29, was radicalised while studying in Melbourne.
Prosecutors said his shift towards extremism began at RMIT University. He was influenced by hardline ideology through extremist books and online content. He allegedly told prosecutors he was inspired by the 9/11 attacks of 2001.
al-Hammami is an Omani national. He studied in Australia for about two years until 2017. RMIT said he studied at its Melbourne campus but did not finish an engineering course. Australia's counter-terrorism team opened an investigation last weekend.
The UAE said he also visited a mosque and met people linked to a group called My Centre. He joined flydubai in January 2026. Investigators found he had passed all the airline's background checks.
This raises hard questions about how people are checked before they get jobs that put many lives at risk. It also affects how Australia watches for extremism.