Melbourne imam denies links to suspected flydubai hijacker

AI Summary

A Melbourne imam denied ever meeting an Omani Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the aircraft's captain and said he has consistently preached peace. UAE prosecutors allege the co-pilot was inspired by al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks and intended to cause mass casualties; he is in custody in the UAE.

A Melbourne imam whose Islamic community centre has been linked by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates to the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a flydubai jet has said he "never met" the man and insisted he has "consistently preached peace". The Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001 suicide attacks, and carried out his attempt "with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life", according to the Emirati prosecutor's findings published by state media last week.