Flydubai Co-Pilot Suspected of Terror Attempt Posted Extremist Content

New details have emerged regarding the background of Hammam Al-Hamami, the co-pilot suspected in an attempted attack on a Flydubai flight to Israel. A CNN investigation uncovered social media posts attributed to him that included videos of Israeli aircraft, images of figures associated with Al-Qaeda, and extremist religious statements. These posts appeared on a LinkedIn profile under Al-Hamami's name, which has since been removed, approximately nine hours after the incident. CNN emphasized that it is unclear who actually uploaded the content or if it was pre-scheduled or posted by another individual.

One post featured several videos filmed from the cockpits of Boeing 737 MAX planes. One video, identified by CNN as being filmed at Dubai Airport, focused on an El Al aircraft. Other videos showed planes belonging to El Al and Arkia. The post concluded with images of Ayman al-Zawahiri, who led Al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden, and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, an Al-Qaeda loyalist who carried out a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2009 that killed nine people, including seven CIA operatives and American contractors.

A second post contained an AI-generated image depicting Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem connected by a path of light, with a song playing about refusing humiliation, fearing no death, and defending honor. Similar videos were also found on an Instagram account bearing Al-Hamami's name and picture before that account was also deleted.

CNN also analyzed nearly 3,000 deleted tweets from a Twitter account attributed to Al-Hamami, posted between 2021 and 2022. These tweets expressed opposition to mixed-gender workplaces, a desire for his future wife to wear a niqab and cease working after marriage, and rigid religious views.

This revelation follows information that Al-Hamami was previously removed from a flight with Oman Air due to concerns about his adoption of extremist views and was reassigned to an administrative role before joining Flydubai. The investigation has not yet established a connection between him and any specific terrorist organization. The UAE's Attorney General announced that the investigation concluded Al-Hamami attempted a "terrorist act," attacking the captain with an emergency axe and trying to seize control of the aircraft's controls. The investigation is ongoing to determine his full motives and potential connections.