UAE Investigates Crew Involvement in Flydubai Pilot's Terror Attempt

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates are investigating whether the co-pilot who attempted a terror attack on a Flydubai flight received assistance from other crew members. The local inquiry is focusing on the six additional crew members aboard the plane, including flight attendants, according to a report by Galatz. Israeli security officials are currently concentrating solely on the investigation of the alleged perpetrator, leaving the examination of the other crew members to the UAE authorities. The flight also carried Indian Captain Smith Machar. The suspicion of internal involvement is partly based on testimony from Yaniv Hayon, described as one of the flight's heroes. Hayon recounted that during the incident, he saw a crew member standing outside the cockpit, holding the door handle, and he was unsure if the person intended to hold or open the door.

Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman is attempting to distance itself from the attempted attack, even after the co-pilot, Al-Hamami, was identified as an Omani citizen. A report on Kan Reshet Bet stated that the UAE officially declared the co-pilot, who was born in the Emirates and held Omani citizenship, attempted a terror attack with the intention of crashing the plane in Israel. However, official Omani channels have remained silent. Al-Hamami previously worked for Oman's national airline, where he was moved to a management role due to religious extremism. An unofficial Omani source told Kan News reporter Roy Kais that Oman's silence might stem from a reluctance to officially acknowledge the co-pilot as Omani, with hopes that he might not be identified as such. This source added that Al-Hamami spent most of his life outside Oman, particularly in Syria, suggesting his extremist views did not originate in Oman. The source emphasized that no one in Oman, not even among the most religiously extreme, is celebrating the attack attempt, noting the silence of Oman's Grand Mufti, Ahmed Al-Khalili, who has previously made anti-Israel statements.

Relations between Oman and Israel have cooled since October 7th under Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, with increased public sentiment favoring Palestinians and Hamas. The Omani source confirmed public sentiment is hostile towards Israel but clarified it is limited to calls for boycotts, support for resistance, and refusal of normalization. The source rejected claims that Oman has become more extreme due to a change in leadership, stating, "It is not the Sultan who has changed, but Israel that has changed for the worse. It is not only Oman that has become cooler towards Israel, but even European countries that were close to it."