Melbourne Imam Responds as FlyDubai Hijack Probe Spans Four Countries
Samir "Abu Hamza" Mohtadi has responded on social media to the international terrorism investigation linking him to the FlyDubai co-pilot accused of trying to hijack a passenger plane. His statement, reported on Oct. 12, 2026, is the latest turn in a case that now touches four countries. ABC
Mohtadi is the imam and leader of a Melbourne mosque allegedly connected to the suspect. That alleged connection sits at the center of competing claims from prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates and investigators in Australia. What contact, if any, took place is still disputed.
The suspect was named as Hamam al-Hammami. The UAE's top prosecutor alleges al-Hammami was radicalised, meaning drawn toward extremist ideas that support violence, while studying in Melbourne almost a decade ago. AFR
Al-Hammami was co-pilot of FlyDubai flight FZ1073, a scheduled flight from the UAE to Israel. Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested and questioned him after the incident. Israel has said it will tighten checks on pilots after the scare. Reuters
Australian police are looking into al-Hammami's time in Australia. Two people quoted by Reuters claimed he visited hardline mosques and extremist websites while there. Those claims have not been heard in court, and Australian authorities have not publicly explained the full scope of their inquiry. Reuters
FlyDubai, Dubai's state-owned airline, has paused flights to Israel during the investigations. The pause stays in place while separate inquiries continue in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Israel. Reuters
In Melbourne, the Islamic Council of Victoria describes itself as the peak Muslim body in the state, working for the rights, welfare and interests of Victoria's diverse Muslim community through services, education and civic engagement.
The broader context here is how hard it is to run one case across four legal systems while also sharing counterterrorism intelligence. Like runners passing a baton, each country holds a different piece: the alleged radicalisation in Australia, the alleged attempt to take the cockpit on a UAE to Israel flight, detention in Saudi Arabia, and new crew checks in Israel. Whether the UAE allegation becomes a trial, a security review or a diplomatic matter will depend on extradition, which is the formal handover of suspects, evidence-sharing and how intelligence is kept separate.
Looking at what this means for Australia, the inquiry will test how federal police, immigration records and community outreach fit together. Claims about mosque visits and online activity from almost ten years ago raise hard questions about old records, memory and the bar for proving radicalisation long after the fact. The time gap widens the range of other factors that could have played a role.
In my view, Mohtadi's choice to reply on social media shows how fast the public side of these cross-border cases now moves. Prosecutors speak to the press, police confirm an inquiry, and the named cleric speaks straight to followers and reporters before any formal step. That shapes public views before charges, formal requests for legal help, or aviation safety orders are settled. The core question, what contact, if any, happened in Melbourne and what it meant, still has to be answered through official channels.
