SYDNEY: A Melbourne imam whose Islamic community center has been linked by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates to the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a flydubai jet has said he “never met” the man and insisted he has “consistently preached peace.”
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 radicalized while studying in Australia “through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks.”
The prosecutor alleged he was acquainted there with an organization known as “My Center” managed by a Lebanese man called Abu Hamza.
Neither “My Center” nor Abu Hamza are accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
In a statement posted on social media late on Monday, Abu Hamza — also named by local media as Samir Mohtadi — said he had “never met” the co-pilot identified in reports as Hamam Al-Hammami.
“We have no record of him ever attending our center,” he said.
“The relevant authorities should have verified these claims with me before releasing or publishing such information,” he added.
He said he had “consistently preached peace” throughout his life.
“We unequivocally reject violence in all its forms.”
Police and intelligence services in Australia have said they are investigating the co-pilot’s links to the country.
And 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.