Melbourne Islamic leader linked to suspected Flydubai hijacker condemns 'false accusations'

A Melbourne man 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 hit out at "false accusations". 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. The prosecutor said the co-pilot first became radicalised while studying at Australia's RMIT University "through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks". The prosecutor alleged he was acquainted there with an organisation known as "My Centre" managed by a Lebanese man called Abu Hamza. Neither "My Centre" nor Abu Hamza are accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Read moreNetanyahu says Flydubai co-pilot was radicalised as UAE probes terror link In a video posted on social media, Abu Hamza – also named by local media as Samir Mohtadi – struck back at what he called "false accusations". "Right through the ages ... those...