Pilot Accused of Attempted FlyDubai Hijacking Was Lone Terrorist

Israeli investigators probing an incident involving a FlyDubai aircraft have preliminarily concluded that the attempt to crash the plane was a planned attack by a lone terrorist, according to CBS News. While official bodies have not yet revealed the pilot's identity, sources have named him as Hamam al-Hamami. Al-Hamami previously trained as a pilot with Oman Air. During internal monitoring, Omani authorities noted his regular visits to radical internet resources, leading the airline to transfer him from flight duties to an administrative role. Dissatisfied with this change, the pilot resigned around 2024. He later posted a video online featuring El Al airplanes filmed in Dubai, which concluded with a display of a portrait of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of Al-Qaeda. Subsequently, al-Hamami moved to Dubai, where he was hired by FlyDubai. Sources suggest his new employer overlooked a formal request to verify his background with Omani authorities. Al-Hamami is formally an Omani citizen but was born and spent most of his life abroad. His father is Omani and his mother is Syrian. While Muscat has not publicly confirmed his citizenship status, experts believe he may hold a second passport. This could have allowed him to fly regularly to Israel without attracting security attention. An earlier report indicated that the FlyDubai incident exposed a significant security vulnerability for Israel.