Israel Suspects Lone Wolf in FlyDubai Hijacking Attempt

Israeli authorities suspect the alleged hijacking attempt on a FlyDubai flight was the act of a "lone wolf," according to sources familiar with the investigation. The probe is ongoing, and all possibilities are being examined. The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was nearing Israel on Wednesday when the co-pilot reportedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the plane, as stated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, passengers, and the captain. Concurrently, Australian federal police announced that a counter-terrorism task force is investigating potential links to Australia of the co-pilot, Hamam Al-Hamam, who is accused of attempting to crash the aircraft in a terror attack. The investigation is being conducted by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). The co-pilot had obtained a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017 before leaving the country. Reports indicate his visa was canceled not due to character or behavior issues, but because he was not enrolled in a course, making him ineligible. The Australian investigation will also examine whether he underwent religious or ideological radicalization during his time in Australia. Officials confirmed the co-pilot, an Omani citizen reportedly banned from flying for his national airline due to extremist views, attacked the captain with an axe and tried to seize control of the plane. The United Arab Emirates, conducting its own investigation, stated the co-pilot's actions constituted a "terror attack."