Boxing training and connection to a mosque in Melbourne: New details on the terrorist pilot

New details about Hammam al-Hammami, the Omani pilot who attempted to crash a Flydubai plane into Ben Gurion Airport, reveal that he used to frequent a mosque in Melbourne, knew people connected to an Islamic center led by "Abu Hamza", and drew inspiration from the September 11 attacks. The investigation in the Emirates found that he trained in boxing and conducted two preliminary flights to Israel to study the flight path.

New details about Hammam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old Omani citizen who attempted to hijack a Flydubai plane and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport, are being published in the Australian newspaper "Herald Sun". According to the report, al-Hammami used to frequent a mosque in Melbourne, Australia, where he was exposed to people connected to an Islamic center led by a cleric known as "Abu Hamza". Investigators in the Emirates found that he drew inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and sought to carry out a similar attack using a passenger plane. The investigation also revealed that the co-pilot prepared for the attack over an extended period, both mentally and physically. He consumed extremist propaganda and underwent private boxing training as part of his preparations. Additionally, he conducted two previous flights on the Dubai–Tel Aviv route, intended to familiarize him with the flight path and Ben Gurion Airport ahead of the planned attack. The Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, stated that the investigation findings indicate that the first signs of al-Hammami's radicalization appeared as early as 2017, during his studies in Australia.