What happened
The United Arab Emirates Attorney-General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, announced that a Flydubai co-pilot planned a 9/11-style suicide attack on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. The co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, intended to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into a passenger terminal, aiming to kill as many people as possible.
According to the investigation, Hammami had spent years preparing for the attack, becoming radicalized in 2017 while studying in Melbourne, Australia. He was influenced by extremist literature and online material glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks, and drew inspiration from the 9/11 attacks.
Hammami's decision to become a pilot was reportedly part of his plan to carry out a mass-casualty terrorist attack. He underwent aviation training in Britain and worked for several airlines, including Oman Air and Flydubai, before attempting to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.
The attempted hijacking was thwarted by the aircraft's captain, passengers, and other pilots, who fought to regain control of the plane after Hammami attacked the captain with an emergency crash axe. The plane was diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, and Hammami was restrained.
Hammami has provided a detailed confession to investigators, outlining his motives, preparations, and actions during the attempted hijacking. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining the possible involvement of accomplices or other connections.
