The imam of a Melbourne mosque linked by United Arab Emirates officials to the accused flydubai hijacker has vowed to “fast from talking”, and declared that critics are too “fixated” for words to alter their views.
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words → link → views
In a video uploaded to social media, Abu Hamza – also known as Samir Mohtadi – described recent abuse and “false accusation[s]”, but did not directly respond to the allegations levelled against the Islamic centre, MyCentre in Broadmeadows.
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Hamza → upload → Broadmeadows
UAE officials allege accused terrorist Hammam al-Hammami became radicalised in 2017 while studying in Australia, and that while in Australia he was also associated with the mosque.
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he → allege → mosque
This masthead is not suggesting MyCentre or Hamza were involved in any wrongdoing.
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MyCentre → suggest → wrongdoing
He is accused of attacking the captain with the intent of crashing the plane into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, until he was overpowered by passengers.
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he → accuse → passengers
In the video uploaded to social media, Hamza said: “You find those who are righteous; they’ve always been attacked, abused, accused, killed, imprisoned – and this is the way it is.
“
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it → upload → those
I’m going to fast from talking because there are circumstances, my beloved brothers and respected sisters, regardless how much you explain yourself to people, that’s it, they’re fixated with their ideas – and that’s it.
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that → go → ideas
You can’t change them.
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You → change → them
So the best thing, sometimes, is not to say anything.”
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thing → say → anything
According to UAE authorities, al-Hammami began gravitating “towards extremism and terrorism” in 2017 when he was studying in Australia, where he was influenced by radical ideology.
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he → accord → ideology
“During that period, he was influenced by takfiri [radical] ideology through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks,” the UAE’s attorney-general said in the statement.
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general → influence → statement
“[Al-Hammami] stated that the centre was managed by a Lebanese man known as Abu Hamza and allegedly received support from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
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centre → state → Brotherhood
Australian authorities have not confirmed any of the allegations detailed in the UAE’s statement, published last week by its state-operated news agency.
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authorities → confirm → agency
This masthead is not suggesting MyCentre or Hamza intentionally taught al-Hammami to engage in violence or terrorism, or were involved in any wrongdoing.
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MyCentre → suggest → wrongdoing
Hamza is described on MyCentre’s website as its community leader.
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Hamza → describe → leader
Al-Hammami was pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at Melbourne’s RMIT University.
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Hammami → pursue → University
According to an article published by Emirates News Agency, he had admitted regularly attending a mosque affiliated with the university, where he became acquainted with individuals associated with MyCentre.
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he → accord → MyCentre
The Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team is investigating al-Hammami’s time in Australia, including his time studying at RMIT University.
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Team → investigate → University
London’s Financial Times reported that Australia’s intelligence services had opened a file on al-Hammami while he was living in Melbourne.
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he → report → Melbourne
However, a senior source in the national security community strongly denied this.
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source → deny → this
Al-Hammami might have been included in a database or mentioned in relation to someone else but had not been investigated by ASIO at a serious level, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
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who → include → matters
- Australian link: Authorities say pilot’s extremism began in Melbourne
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extremism → say → Melbourne
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FZ1073 → unfold → ?
‘I grabbed the terrorist’: How passengers saved flight FZ1073
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passengers → grab → FZ1073
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news → know → ?
The Aporia
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