A flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to take control of a flight to Tel Aviv allegedly planned to crash the aircraft into Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a 9/11-style attack, according to Israeli media reports.
Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani first officer who is currently under arrest, reportedly told investigators in the United Arab Emirates that he intended to continue flydubai Flight 1073 normally after attacking Captain Smit Machchhar.
According to reports, his plan was to obtain all necessary landing clearances without creating suspicion and then crash the aircraft into a building or another plane at Ben Gurion Airport.
Ynet, citing sources, reported that al-Hammami allegedly attacked Captain Machchhar while the aircraft was flying over Jordan and approaching Israel.
By waiting until the final stages of the flight, he reportedly believed that authorities would not have enough time to understand what was happening or stop him.
He is also said to have told investigators that if he failed to reach the airport, he planned to crash the aircraft into a skyscraper in Tel Aviv or into one of the US military bases in Jordan.
However, the alleged plan was foiled after Captain Machchhar, despite being injured, fought back, sent distress signals and opened the cockpit door.
This allowed crew members and passengers to restrain the co-pilot and regain control of the aircraft. Two off-duty pilots then reportedly flew the plane safely and landed it in Saudi Arabia.
Captain Machchhar, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, later told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that al-Hammami had asked to pray just minutes before allegedly attacking him with a crash axe.
The captain said he initially thought the aircraft itself had been hit after he suffered a heavy blow to the head.
However, when the blows continued, he realised that the attack was coming from the other person inside the cockpit.
Attack Was Allegedly Planned Earlier
According to Israel’s Channel 12, al-Hammami had initially planned to carry out the attack in July but reportedly postponed it at the last moment because he was friendly with one of the crew members.
Reports also claimed that he had flown to Ben Gurion Airport several times in recent months after joining flydubai.
During one trip to Israel in June, he reportedly focused on gathering information and planning the alleged attack.
Allegedly Joined flydubai With the Plan
Channel 13 reported that the co-pilot had allegedly planned the attack even before joining flydubai, a low-cost Emirati airline operating flights between the UAE and Israel.
He reportedly told investigators that he had specifically looked for an airline operating flights to Tel Aviv and chose flydubai for that reason.
Aircraft Reportedly Dropped 16,000 Feet
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that after attacking the captain, al-Hammami allegedly switched off the aircraft’s engines and pushed the controls forward.
The plane reportedly dropped around 16,000 feet in less than a minute and came close to the speed of sound.
The incident has also raised serious questions about aviation security and background checks.
According to officials cited in reports, the co-pilot had allegedly been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns over extremist views.
Questions have also been raised over how an Omani citizen was allowed to operate a flight carrying passengers to Israel, given that Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
Questions Over Security Screening
Al-Hammami, 29, is an Omani citizen with an Omani father and Syrian mother. Reports claim that he had lived in Syria during the civil war and had allegedly posted messages online supporting al-Qaeda.
It remains unclear how these alleged warning signs were not identified before he was allowed to fly for flydubai.
Regional officials told the Associated Press that Emirati authorities had shared information about passengers and crew members, including their nationalities.
According to those officials, Israeli authorities had not raised any red flags about passengers or crew members before the flight.
The Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, said that the Transportation Ministry is responsible for vetting passenger lists on foreign flights.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev, however, said that security agencies are responsible for aviation security and that her ministry had not received a passenger list or any warning.
The incident remains under investigation, with authorities examining both the alleged attack plan and possible security failures that may have allowed the co-pilot to operate the flight.
