Australian police confirm counter-terrorism squad investigating Dubai Airline co-pilot's links to Australia
Quick Look
- The Australian police confirmed that a counter-terrorism team composed of the Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization is investigating the connection between co-pilot Hammami of Dubai Airline flight FZ1073 and Australia.
- The first officer studied in Melbourne and was reported to have visited radical mosques and extremist websites.
- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot had been indoctrinated by radical Islamic ideas and had suicidal tendencies, and directed the National Security Council to review the safety of foreign civil aviation flying to Israel.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Dubai Air flight FZ1073 was attacked on its way from Dubai to Israel on September 30. The co-pilot stabbed the captain with an emergency ax and attempted to hijack the plane, causing the plane to plummet 16,000 feet before landing safely. Israel's prosecutor general classified the incident as a terrorist attack. It was later confirmed that the co-pilot was Hammami, an Omani national. He had studied in Melbourne, Australia, at the Royal Institute of Technology.
An Australian police spokesman confirmed today that a multi-agency counter-terrorism team is investigating the connection between the co-pilot of Dubai Airways flight FZ1073 and Australia. He recently stabbed the captain and attempted to hijack the plane.
Reuters reported that an Australian Federal Police spokesperson said that the "Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team" composed of the Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (Australian Security Intelligence Organization) was "investigating the man's links to Australia."
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Two people familiar with the matter revealed that the co-pilot had studied at a university in Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. Another source pointed out that he studied at RMIT University in Melbourne about ten years ago. RMIT declined to comment.
According to the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates yesterday, the co-pilot of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel on September 30 attacked the captain with an emergency axe, calling the incident a "terrorist attack."
According to an aviation instructor who recreated the flight's descent on a simulator, flight FZ1073 plummeted 16,000 feet (approximately 4,877 meters) in about 30 seconds. Passengers may have felt as if they were riding a "vertical roller coaster." Fortunately, it landed safely.
Two sources said the co-pilot was Omani Hamam al-Hammami. Israeli officials have not released his name but confirmed he was from Oman. UAE officials and flydubai have not disclosed the identity of the co-pilot.
The Financial Times reported today that two people familiar with the investigation said Hamami allegedly visited radical mosques and extremist websites while in Australia. The report also pointed out that Australian intelligence agencies already hold relevant information.
Reuters could not immediately verify the Financial Times report. The Australian government did not respond to inquiries outside business hours.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the co-pilot had been indoctrinated by radical Islamic ideas and was obviously prone to suicide, but he did not specify when and where the relevant indoctrination occurred.
Netanyahu today directed the National Security Council to appoint an inspector to "thoroughly review all security matters related to foreign civil aviation flying to Israel."
Israel and Oman do not have diplomatic relations. Netanyahu stressed that pilots from such countries should not have been allowed to fly Israeli flights. It is unclear how the co-pilot was assigned to fly the flight to Tel Aviv. (Compiled by: He Hongru) 1151005
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What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Israel to tighten access checks for pilots from countries without diplomatic ties
Likely · Within weeks
The Australian anti-terrorism team will make public the progress of the investigation or issue an official statement
Possible · Within days
Open Questions
- How did Hammami get permission to fly to Israel?
- Did Australian intelligence services monitor or warn Hammami?
- What specific radical mosques and websites did Hammami visit during his time in Australia?
- Will Israel change its admission policy for pilots from countries with which it has no diplomatic relations?
