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UAE Prosecutors Say Flydubai Co-Pilot Radicalised While Studying

UAE Prosecutors Say Flydubai Co-Pilot Radicalised While Studying
Flydubai co-pilot developed extremist views while studying in Australia: UAE prosecutors · wionews.com

UAE prosecutors say a flydubai co-pilot began developing extremist ideas while he was studying in Australia.

He studied at RMIT University in Melbourne.

The attorney general said signs of those ideas first appeared in 2017.

Prosecutors said he read extremist material and watched online content praising terrorist groups and suicide attacks.

They also said he told them the September 11 attacks inspired him.

According to their statement, he thought about carrying out a similar attack using an aircraft.

He arrived in Australia in 2015 and left in 2017.

His student visa was cancelled in 2019 after authorities learned he was no longer enrolled.

Key facts

Prosecuting authority
United Arab Emirates
Attorney general
Hamad Saif al-Shamsi
University
RMIT University
Study location
Melbourne, Australia
Australia arrival
2015
Left Australia
2017
Visa cancelled
2019, after authorities confirmed he was no longer enrolled

Quotes

Hamad Saif al-Shamsi

Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates

“During that period, he was influenced by takfiri [radical] ideology through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks.”
wionews.com
“The findings indicated that signs of his drift towards extremism and terrorism first emerged in 2017, while he was studying in Australia.”
wionews.com

Sources

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