Humam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old Omani terrorist who attempted to seize control of a Flydubai airliner and deliberately crash it into Ben Gurion Airport, frequented a mosque in Melbourne, Australia, where he was exposed to extremist circles affiliated with an Islamic center headed by a cleric known as “Abu Hamza,” according to an investigative report by the Australian newspaper Herald Sun.
1+According to the report, al-Hammami studied at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2017, where his radicalization process initially took root. UAE investigators determined that he consumed extremist Islamic literature and online propaganda glorifying terror organizations and suicide bombings. UAE state prosecutors stated that he drew direct inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and sought to stage an identical suicide strike utilizing a commercial airliner.
The report noted that during his studies, al-Hammami regularly visited a prayer space linked to RMIT University, where he connected with figures tied to an organization called “My Center,” directed by cleric Sheik Abu Hamza, also known as Samir Mohtadi. Under interrogation, the terrorist revealed that the center received funding from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood movement.
1+UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi stated that investigative findings trace al-Hammami’s initial signs of ideological radicalization back to 2017 during his time studying in Australia. Investigators revealed that the suspect confessed to deliberately choosing and developing a career in commercial aviation solely to carry out a catastrophic terror attack in the future.
The probe further established that the rogue first officer methodically prepared for the attack over an extended timeframe, both psychologically and physically. According to investigators, he consumed extremist jihadist propaganda and underwent private boxing training as part of his tactical preparations to overpower the flight crew.
According to UAE interrogators, the terrorist also completed two prior flights on the Dubai–Tel Aviv corridor, serving as reconnaissance runs to familiarize himself with the flight route, approach corridors, and the physical layout of Ben Gurion Airport ahead of the intended attack.