Flydubai Co-Pilot Lied About Flight Training, Background Checks Questioned

New details have emerged regarding the background of Al-Hamami, the co-pilot who attempted a terror attack on a Flydubai flight. A Moroccan airline and a British university have refuted his claimed qualifications, raising serious questions about the recruitment process that allowed him access to the cockpit. Royal Air Maroc stated that Al-Hamami completed a three-month theoretical training in 2025 as part of a selection process, but his candidacy was rejected and he was not hired. This directly contradicts his LinkedIn profile, which claimed he worked for the airline from June 2025 to January 2026. Similarly, Buckinghamshire New University in England confirmed Al-Hamami took an online aviation management course, but a spokesperson clarified he "did not undergo any flight training." These revelations add to previous warning signs about Al-Hamami. He was previously removed from flying duties at Oman Air, where he was an apprentice co-pilot, after extremist materials were found in his possession, leading to a transfer to a management role. Security sources suggest he was influenced by extremist ideologies during a stay in Syria. On the day of the attack, he posted videos of Israeli airline planes in Dubai alongside images of Al-Qaeda leaders and had previously shared misogynistic content criticizing working women. The UAE's Attorney General officially declared the incident on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv a terror attempt. Al-Hamami, who has cooperated with investigators after being transferred from Saudi Arabia, confessed to intending to crash the plane in Israel. During the flight, he attacked the captain with an axe and attempted a rapid dive. Israeli passengers, along with crew members and backup pilots, subdued him and assisted in an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Security officials are now investigating whether he acted alone or was part of an organized terror group.