Melbourne man linked to flydubai attack suspect rejects ‘false accusations’

What the report says

A Melbourne-based community figure linked in Emirati prosecutor claims to the suspect in a recent flydubai cockpit attack has denied any connection, calling the allegations false. Al Jazeera reported that Samir Mohtadi, also referred to locally as Abu Hamza and associated with the Multicultural Youth Centre or MyCentre, said he and the centre reject violence and have long promoted peace and community wellbeing.

The dispute follows UAE findings released through state media last week about the Omani co-pilot, who is now in custody in the UAE. According to those findings, the suspect was influenced by extremist material and had been acquainted in Australia with an organisation run by a Lebanese man. Al Jazeera noted that neither the centre nor Mohtadi has been accused of criminal wrongdoing, but the published claims have raised questions about the suspect’s time in Australia and his contacts there.

The article said the incident took place on a September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was diverted after an emergency signal. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe, and the captain was later rescued after passengers and crew intervened. Al Jazeera also reported that police and intelligence agencies in Australia and New Zealand are continuing to examine the suspect’s links to both countries. The case matters because it combines an aviation security incident with wider concerns about radicalisation, travel history and community reputations.