Israel Received Oman Pilot's Details in Advance of Flydubai Incident

Authorities in Israel received the crew and passenger manifest for a Flydubai flight in advance, including the details of the Omani co-pilot, Mamam Al-Hamami, who attempted to hijack the plane. The Israel Tax Authority confirmed that flight lists were received, which would have included Al-Hamami's full name and Omani nationality prior to the flight. This is particularly concerning as Al-Hamami had previously raised suspicions due to Islamist radicalization, reportedly possessing "extremist materials" while employed by Oman Air, which led to his grounding.

Security sources told Haaretz that the Security Wing of the Ministry of Transport and the Mossad are responsible for receiving and vetting foreign flight manifests for flights arriving in Israel. However, the Ministry of Transport reportedly lacks the intelligence capabilities for such checks, relying instead on security agencies.

The incident highlights questions about responsibility, especially after a 2023 law established a National Center for Passenger Data Analysis. This center manages a database of flight data for flights to and from Israel, accessible to entities like the Shin Bet, Mossad, police, and Ministry of Transport, with a stated goal of preventing terror and securing aviation. The law explicitly includes crew member data, such as full name and nationality, meaning Al-Hamami's Omani citizenship, a country without diplomatic ties to Israel, should have been flagged.

Discussions during the law's advancement emphasized the need for advance passenger and crew data to identify security risks, particularly given past hijackings for terror purposes. Mossad representatives stressed the importance of immediate data receipt for threat mitigation. The incident itself was officially termed a "dangerous act of terrorism" in the UAE.

Yitzhak Raz, former head of the Civil Aviation Authority, stated that the Ministry of Transport, with assistance from the Shin Bet and Mossad, holds responsibility for the security aspect of foreign airlines. He noted the need to vet incoming pilots to prevent entry of extremists and recalled a state comptroller's recommendation for a unified national body to coordinate aviation security, which has not been established.

Following the attempted hijacking, security measures were visibly tightened, with the Mossad individually vetting the crew of the subsequent rescue flight back to Israel. The central question remains unanswered: if Al-Hamami's details were received in advance and included his nationality, who reviewed them, and how was a pilot previously flagged for radicalization allowed to fly to Israel?