The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-12 · by Nino Bucci and Guardian staff
Dr Samir Mohtadi, who leads MyCentre in Melbourne and is also known as Abu Hamza, released a silent response video on Facebook after being linked to the accused Flydubai hijacker. The UAE attorney general, Dr Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, alleged that Hammam al-Hammami, during his time at RMIT University in Melbourne, was influenced by people associated with MyCentre but did not specify any direct involvement of Mohtadi or others from the centre in radicalizing him. In his video, Mohtadi emphasizes staying silent when under attack without addressing the specific allegations against al-Hammami or comments made by UAE officials.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Samir Mohtadi, the imam of a Melbourne mosque linked to Hammam Al-Hammami, an alleged hijacker on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, has released a video responding to allegations without directly addressing them. In his statement, he referred to himself and others as "righteous" who are often attacked or accused falsely. UAE officials claim that Al-Hammami became radicalized while studying in Melbourne at RMIT University in 2017. The Emirati attorney-general, Dr Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, stated during an interrogation of Al-Hammami that he had been inspired by the September 11 attacks and prepared himself psychologically and physically for terrorist activities. However, Mohtadi did not address these specific claims, instead vowing to "fast from talking" in his social media video, indicating a refusal to engage further in discussions about the allegations.
Written for “Flydubai Hijack Probe Imams Silence” on 2026-10-12,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 73301: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-12
A leader of a Melbourne Islamic centre allegedly linked to the accused Flydubai hijacker has released a video extolling the virtues of staying silent, without directly commenting on the accusations from prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates.
uncertain
leader → link → Emirates
Dr Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the attorney general of the UAE, on the weekend said that investigators had traced the ideological and professional background of the 29-year-old suspect and that their findings indicated his “drift towards extremism and terrorism” began while he was studying at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2017.
asserted
he → say → 2017
He alleged the co-pilot, Omani national Hammam al-Hammami, had said that while studying in Melbourne he regularly attended a mosque affiliated with RMIT, and through those visits had become acquainted with people associated with a centre known as “MyCentre”.
asserted
he → allege → MyCentre
He allegedly said that the centre was managed by a man known as “Abu Hamza” but the UAE attorney general did not state whether the suspect had ever met Abu Hamza.
uncertain
suspect → say → Hamza
There was no allegation that anyone at the centre was involved in radicalising al-Hammami or had kept in contact with him or had any knowledge of his intentions before the 30 September flight.
asserted
anyone → be → flight
On Sunday night, MyCentre’s leader, Samir Mohtadi – who also goes by Abu Hamza – appeared in a four-minute video released on the centre’s Facebook page.
asserted
who → go → page
He refers to Islamic texts on the virtues of staying silent when being attacked by others but makes no reference to the alleged Flydubai hijack attempt, the UAE attorney general’s statement or to al-Hammami.
“You’ll find those who are righteous you’ll always find have been attacked, abused, accused, killed, imprisoned, and this is the way it is,” Mohtadi says in the video.
asserted
Mohtadi → refer → video
He referred to the stories of Mariam, known to Christians as Mary, the mother of Jesus, being subject to criticism and attack but saying “I’m not going to speak to anyone” and “I’m going to fast from talking”.
asserted
I → refer → anyone
“There are circumstances, my beloved brothers and respected sisters, regardless how much you explain yourself to people, that’s it, they’re fixated with their ideas and that’s it, you can’t change them,” Mohtadi said.
asserted
Mohtadi → be → them
“So the best thing, sometimes, is not to say anything.”
Mohtadi has been contacted for comment.
asserted
Mohtadi → say → comment
RMIT has confirmed al-Hammami had studied engineering at the university, but left Australia before completing the qualification.
asserted
Hammami → confirm → qualification
He subsequently underwent flight training in New Zealand and became a qualified commercial pilot.
asserted
He → undergo → Zealand
Passengers and crew on the 30 September flight, which had 182 people onboard, intervened to stop the alleged attempt to hijack the plane and crash it into Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv in a “premeditated terrorist plot”, according to the UAE attorney general’s statement.
uncertain
which → have → statement
According to the statement, al-Hammami allegedly told prosecutors he adopted ideas advocating violence and terrorism and drew inspiration from the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001.
uncertain
he → accord → 2001
“The idea of carrying out a similar operation using an aircraft became firmly established in his thinking,” the statement said.
asserted
statement → carry → thinking
Al-Hammami allegedly prepared himself psychologically and physically to carry out the alleged terror plot by intensifying his exposure to material promoting terrorism and training in boxing under a private coach.
uncertain
Hammami → prepare → coach
Australian security agencies launched an investigation after it emerged al-Hammami spent about two years in the country, with New Zealand authorities also examining his time there between November 2018 and May 2019.
uncertain
authorities → launch → November
On Sunday, Australia’s home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said the co-pilot was allegedly radicalised online.
uncertain
pilot → say → Sunday
He also said the government wanted to properly screen people at the border and in online settings.
asserted
government → say → settings
The Aporia
