Australia Joins Probe Into Flydubai Co-Pilot's Radicalization

The investigation into the co-pilot who attempted to hijack a Flydubai flight to Israel has expanded to include Australia. Australia's Federal Police (AFP) confirmed they are examining the suspect's connections to the country, where he lived and studied for several years. Sources told Australian media that the co-pilot obtained a student visa in 2014 and studied there between 2015 and 2017. His student visa was reportedly canceled in 2019 after he was no longer enrolled in studies. Counter-terrorism officials are expected to investigate whether the co-pilot became radicalized during his time in Australia. The AFP stated the investigation is being conducted in cooperation with local police and Australia's security agency. This inquiry adds to efforts by authorities to trace the co-pilot's past, determine when his alleged extremist views developed, and identify any prior warning signs. Recent reports also indicate that while employed by Oman Air, he was removed from flight training due to concerns about his extremist views and reassigned to a different role. His ties to the UK are also under scrutiny; he studied remotely at Buckinghamshire New University from 2020, completing an aviation management degree in 2023, though the university clarified he did not undergo flight training there. Investigators are now examining his time in Australia as part of an effort to understand if his radicalization began years before he reached the Flydubai cockpit.