Australia Probes Alleged 'Terrorist' Co-Pilot's Past Links Amid Mid-Air Attack

Australian authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into a Flydubai co-pilot who allegedly attempted a "terrorist act" during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot, identified by various media as Hamam al-Hammami, is accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe, leading to a dramatic mid-air struggle.

The incident occurred two and a half hours into the flight on September 30th, when the plane abruptly plunged 17,000 feet. Captain Machchhar, despite being injured, heroically managed to regain control and allow passengers to intervene. Two reserve pilots then successfully landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

Captain Machchhar, an Indian national, is now in stable condition after receiving medical attention.

The focus of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the country's security agencies is on al-Hammami's links to Australia.

Sources reveal he held a student visa from 2014, studying in Australia between 2015 and 2017. His visa was later cancelled in 2019 due to him no longer being enrolled in a course.

Counter-terrorism officials are now examining whether he may have been radicalized during his time in the country.

Investigations by the UAE prosecutor general have confirmed the incident was an attempted "terrorist act." Further details have emerged regarding al-Hammami's employment history, including reports from US media that he was removed from flight training at Oman Air due to concerns over his radical views. He was subsequently given a different role at the airline.

It's also known that he pursued a distance-learning degree in aviation management from a UK university, graduating in 2023, though he did not undertake pilot training there.

Al-Hammami was arrested upon landing in Saudi Arabia and is currently being questioned.

The ongoing investigations in both the UAE and Australia aim to establish the full circumstances and motives behind this alarming incident, which has raised significant concerns about aviation security and radicalization.

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