// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Australia investigating Flydubai co-pilot's links to country
The Flydubai plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after passengers managed to take back control from the co-pilot
Australian authorities are investigating the links between the country and a Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to take control of a plane travelling to Israel.
The co-pilot is alleged to have attacked the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv before passengers managed to overpower him and successfully take control of the plane.
The Australian authorities have not identified the co-pilot, who has been named by multiple media outlets including Reuters, CNN and The New York Times as Hamam al-Hammami.
The prosecutor in the UAE has said it is investigating the incident and any possible motives.
In a statement to the BBC, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed its investigation into "the man's links to Australia".
The investigation involves state police and the country's security agency, it said, adding that an update would be "provided at the appropriate time".
Sources familiar with the case, who have spoken to Australian media, have said the co-pilot was issued a student visa in 2014, and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017, until he left the country.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said the co-pilot's student visa was cancelled in 2019 as he was no longer enrolled in a course, making him ineligible for it.
Counter-terrorism officials will look at whether the man was radicalised in Australia, the ABC reported.