Flydubai co-pilot drifted towards 'extremism and terrorism' while studying at RMIT
News Source
β’Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:29:30 +0000
π° What Happened
UAE prosecutors say a flydubai co-pilot was radicalised at an Australian mosque while a student in Melbourne in 2017. The man, Hammam al-Hammami, 29, is accused of trying to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September. There were 182 people on board.
He attacked the captain with a crash axe. The plane dropped 4,900 metres in 30 seconds. Other pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
π The Backstory
Prosecutors said al-Hammami met people from a group called My Centre during mosque visits. They said the group was run by a Lebanese man known as Abu Hamza. They also said it got support from a group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
al-Hammami allegedly used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to learn the route. He joined flydubai in January 2026 after working for other airlines, including Oman Air. Flydubai was not accused of doing anything wrong.
π― Why It Matters
The case shows how a person can move through normal jobs while hiding extreme views. It also puts pressure on Australia to explain how this can be spotted.
UAE prosecutors say a flydubai co-pilot was radicalised at an Australian mosque while a student in Melbourne in 2017. The man, Hammam al-Hammami, 29, is accused of trying to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September. There were 182 people on board.
He attacked the captain with a crash axe. The plane dropped 4,900 metres in 30 seconds. Other pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
Prosecutors said al-Hammami met people from a group called My Centre during mosque visits. They said the group was run by a Lebanese man known as Abu Hamza. They also said it got support from a group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
al-Hammami allegedly used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to learn the route. He joined flydubai in January 2026 after working for other airlines, including Oman Air. Flydubai was not accused of doing anything wrong.
The case shows how a person can move through normal jobs while hiding extreme views. It also puts pressure on Australia to explain how this can be spotted.