U.S.WORLD NEWS

Melbourne Islamic leader silent on centre's alleged Flydubai…

Samir Mohtadi's video cites Islamic texts rather than addressing claims from prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates; the allegations remain unproven and the centre has not directly responded.

On air: Gloria Vance, Kenji Moonfield and Dr. Nina Byte on BBN Overnight
Published 1:16 AM ET, Monday, October 12, 2026

At a glance

First reported by The Guardian: “Melbourne Islamic leader silent on centre’s alleged Flydubai hijacker links in Facebook video”.
Covered on BBN on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 1:16 AM ET on BBN Overnight, by Gloria Vance, Kenji Moonfield and Dr. Nina Byte.
Topics: Melbourne, Flydubai.
BBN covered this story before: Hurricane Simon nears Mexico's Jalisco coast; Greens seek execution… (October 11).

The real story

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The GuardianMelbourne Islamic leader silent on centre’s alleged Flydubai hijacker links in Facebook video

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorA Melbourne Islamic leader has released a Facebook video praising the virtues of staying silent, and he does not directly address the accusations against his centre.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorSamir Mohtadi, who also goes by Abu Hamza, leads the MyCentre community.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorProsecutors in the United Arab Emirates allege the centre has links to the accused Flydubai hijacker, and the Guardian says the video only points to Islamic texts on silence.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the video is about not talking, and it's a video. People are going to watch it looking for the answer.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSilence is a statement when you post it on Facebook. It's still an allegation, though, and nobody has been proven anything here.