Flydubai Co-Pilot Identified as Oman Citizen in Alleged Terror Attempt

The identity of the co-pilot suspected in an attempted terror attack on a Flydubai flight has been revealed as Hammam Al-Hamami, a 29-year-old Omani citizen born in the UAE to an Omani father and a Syrian mother. His identity was previously kept confidential following the incident. Al-Hamami is suspected of attacking the captain and attempting to seize control of the cockpit during a flight from Dubai to Israel. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have officially classified the event as an "attempt to carry out a terror act," stating that the co-pilot used an emergency axe from the cockpit to assault the captain and take over the aircraft. New details have emerged regarding Al-Hamami's background. Reports indicate he worked for Oman Air for years, but concerns about his extremist views surfaced in 2024. According to AP, he was removed from flight duties at the company due to these concerns but later returned to a path that led him to the Flydubai cockpit. His connection to Syria is also under investigation, as he was born to a Syrian mother and reportedly spent time in Syria. Social media activity linked to him is also being examined, with suspicious content found on accounts bearing his name. The new information raises questions about his hiring process at Flydubai. Following his tenure at Oman Air, Al-Hamami reportedly underwent training with Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai. The investigation is ongoing in the UAE, after Al-Hamami was transferred there from Saudi Arabia, where the plane landed following the incident. Sources familiar with the investigation report that he is cooperating with interrogators and stated his intention was to crash the plane into Israeli territory.