{
  "id": 12089509,
  "title": "Alleged flydubai attacker left Australia without finishing engineering course, university says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alleged-flydubai-attacker-left-australia-without-finishing-12089509",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T05:52:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian",
    "slug": "the-guardian",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/australia-university-engineering-flydubai-co-pilot-rmit-ntwnfb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "RMIT university in Melbourne has confirmed that a former student, identified as Hammam al-Hammami, studied engineering at their campus but did not complete the qualification. Al-Hammami, an Omani national, allegedly attempted to hijack a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, allegedly using a crash axe in what was described as a \"terrorist attack.\" The pilot was reportedly stabbed mid-air. The Australian federal police are investigating al-Hammami's time in Australia between 2015 and 2017, as multiple agencies, including Asio, probe his connections to the country. A source familiar with the case revealed that al-Hammami was granted an Australian student visa in 2014, started a university course the following year, and left the country in 2017 after his visa was cancelled. The incident led to the suspension of flydubai's flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv.",
  "summary": "RMIT confirms co-pilot was a student as Australian authorities examine his time in country between 2015 and 2017 An Australian university has confirmed a flydubai co-pilot who allegedly tried to hijack an Israel-bound flight studied at its Melbourne campus, but left before completing his qualification. Disaster was narrowly averted on 30 September when passengers and crew intervened to stop the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian Australia",
        "title": "Alleged flydubai attacker left Australia without finishing engineering course, university says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/alleged-flydubai-attacker-left-australia-without-finishing",
        "published": "2026-10-05T05:52:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Australia investigates links to Flydubai co-pilot accused in hijack attempt",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/australia-investigates-links-to-flydubai-co-pilot-accused-in-hijack",
        "published": "2026-10-05T06:05:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}