Australia probes flydubai co-pilot links, police say

Australian Police Investigate flydubai Co-pilot’s Local Connections After Flight Incident

Investigation into flydubai Co-pilot’s Australian Links

Incident Overview

Oct 4 (Reuters) - Australian police said on Sunday that authorities there were investigating the "links to Australia" of a flydubai co-pilot who attacked the captain on a flight to Tel Aviv.

The co-pilot of the flydubai flight 1073, which was bound for Israel from Dubai, attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, calling the incident a "terrorist attack".

Identity of the Co-pilot

The co-pilot of the flydubai jet was identified as ‌Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters. 

UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity. Reuters could not independently reach al-Hammami for comment. Omani authorities have not commented. Flydubai has said a full investigation is under way.

Educational Background and Local Connections

Two sources briefed on the investigation said the co-pilot studied at a university in Melbourne, capital of the Australian state of Victoria. Local media reports said he studied at RMIT university. RMIT told Reuters it had no comment.

Australian Authorities' Response

"The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (VIC JCTT), comprising the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO, can confirm it is investigating the man's links to Australia. An update will be provided at an appropriate time," an Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson said, referring to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

Alleged Extremist Activity in Australia

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that al-Hammami had allegedly visited radical mosques and extremist websites while in Australia, citing two people familiar with the investigation. 

Australian intelligence services held a file on the individual, according to the FT. 

Reuters could not immediately verify the FT report. The government of Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours. 

(Reporting by Chandni Shah in Bengaluru, Praveen Menon and Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Alison Williams)