Sydney – 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 “false accusations”.
The Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001 suicide attacks, and carried out his attempt “with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life”, according to the Emirati prosecutor’s findings published by state media last week.
The prosecutor said the co-pilot first became radicalised while studying in Australia “through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks”.
The prosecutor alleged he was acquainted there with an organization known as “My Centre” managed by a Lebanese man called Abu Hamza.
Neither “My Centre” nor Abu Hamza are accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
In a video posted on social media, Abu Hamza — also named by local media as Samir Mohtadi — struck back at what he called “false accusations”.
“Right through the ages… those who’re righteous, they’ve always been attacked, abused, accused, killed, imprisoned — and this is the way it is,” he said.
“The best thing sometimes is not to say anything,” he added.
“They’re going to continue accusing you… making false accusations.”
He did not comment directly on the UAE prosecutor’s claims.
During the September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the suspect used an emergency axe to attack the plane’s Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, who fought back and tried to call for help.
Another pilot assigned to the return flight who was also on board “noticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly in an unusual manner”, according to the findings.
After gaining entry, he “intervened with the assistance of a cabin crew member and several passengers, and together they rescued the injured captain and restrained the suspect”.
The return flight captain and his co-pilot then landed the plane at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Police and intelligence services in Australia have said they are investigating the man’s links to the country.
Police in New Zealand said last week he had spent time in the country on a six-month student visa, where he completed a portion of his flight training, national broadcaster RNZ said.
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