🔴 UAE investigators say Flydubai co-pilot was planning 'terrorist act'
France 24 · LC · trust 48/100
The Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain aboard a Flydubai flight on September 30 had been barred from flying in his country for security reasons. Several media outlets reported that Omani authorities suspected him of holding radical ideological views.
By: FRANCE 24 Travelers board a FlyDubai aircraft at Ben Gurion International Airport after a separate FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel on September 30, 2026. © Ammar Awad, Reuters The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight to Israel on September 30 had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his extremist views, multiple media outlets reported.
Scrutiny into the alleged assailant – who was identified in the reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami – and his motives has intensified after Wednesday's drama aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv route that officials say narrowly avoided catastrophe.
During the Flydubai flight, the jet's Indian captain was assaulted by his co-pilot but he managed to open the cockpit door , allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the suspect had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination" and had attempted to crash the plane .
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Omani authorities had banned the pilot from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views, citing people familiar with the matter.
CNN , citing two sources familiar with the matter, reported the pilot was removed from a job at Oman's national airline last year over concerns about extremist views.
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The broadcaster said he had also spent time in Syria , raising concerns he may have been influenced by radical groups there.
ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, reported the suspect had allegedly been found in possession of extremist materials while he was a trainee.
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