{"id":8166,"date":"2026-10-12T10:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8166"},"modified":"2026-10-12T10:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:37:09","slug":"melbourne-man-linked-to-flydubai-attack-suspect-rejects-false-accusations-aviation-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8166","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne man linked to flydubai attack suspect rejects \u2018false accusations\u2019 | Aviation News"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 41 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Samir Mohtadi \u201cstrongly rejects\u201d any attempt to associate him or Islamic centre in Melbourne with the alleged attacker.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Published On 12 Oct 2026<\/span>12 Oct 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

A Melbourne man whose Islamic community centre has been linked by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates to the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a flydubai jet has hit out at \u201cfalse accusations\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda\u2019s September 11, 2001 attacks, and carried out his attempt \u201cwith the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life\u201d, according to the Emirati prosecutor\u2019s findings published by state media last week.<\/p>\n

\n

Recommended Stories <\/h2>\n

list of 4 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n

The prosecutor said the co-pilot, who has been identified in multiple media reports as Hamam al-Hammami, first became radicalised while studying in Australia \u201cthrough reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks\u201d.<\/p>\n

The prosecutor alleged he was acquainted there with an organisation known as \u201cMyCentre\u201d managed by a Lebanese man called Abu Hamza.<\/p>\n

Neither \u201cMyCentre\u201d nor Abu Hamza are accused of any criminal wrongdoing.<\/p>\n

In a video posted on social media on Sunday, Abu Hamza \u2013 also named by local media as Samir Mohtadi \u2013 rejected what he called \u201cfalse accusations\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight through the ages, those who\u2019re righteous, they\u2019ve always been attacked, abused, accused, killed, imprisoned \u2014 and this is the way it is\u201d, he said\u00a0in a four-minute video<\/a> shared on MyCentre\u2019s Facebook page.<\/p>\n

He did not directly comment on the UAE prosecutor\u2019s claims in the video, but in\u00a0a separate statement cited by Australia\u2019s ABC news outlet, Mohtadi was quoted as saying that he \u201cstrongly rejects\u201d any attempt to associate him or the centre with the alleged attacker.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe relevant authorities should have verified these claims with me before releasing or publishing such information,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout my life, I have consistently preached peace,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth in my work and the work of the centre have always focused on promoting peace, harmony, mutual respect and community wellbeing. We unequivocally reject violence in all its forms,\u201d Mr Mohtadi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly reject any attempt to associate me or [the] Multicultural Youth Centre with Al-Hammami. Such claims are unfounded, misleading and risk unfairly damaging the reputation of an organisation that has served the wider Australian community for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the suspect used an emergency axe to attack the plane\u2019s Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, who fought back and tried to call for help.<\/p>\n

Another pilot assigned to the return flight who was also on board \u201cnoticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly in an unusual manner\u201d, according to the findings.<\/p>\n

After gaining entry, he \u201cintervened with the assistance of a cabin crew member and several passengers, and together they rescued the injured captain and restrained the suspect\u201d.<\/p>\n

Police and intelligence services in Australia and New Zealand are still investigating the alleged attacker\u2019s links to both countries<\/a>, where he allegedly spent time as a student and where he completed some of his flight training, according to national broadcaster Radio New Zealand (RNZ).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Samir Mohtadi \u201cstrongly rejects\u201d any attempt to associate him or Islamic centre in Melbourne with the alleged attacker. Published On 12 Oct 202612 Oct 2026 A Melbourne man whose Islamic community centre has been linked by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates to the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a flydubai jet has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t