Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Attack on Israel Last Summer, Investigation Reveals
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
A Flydubai co-pilot, Humam Al-Hammami, told investigators he planned to crash a plane heading to Israel last summer but changed his mind. Investigations reveal Al-Hammami expressed extremist views online and had been flagged as a security threat previously. Israeli and U.S. intelligence are assisting the UAE in the probe into the incident, which was thwarted by the crew and passengers.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Flydubai co-pilot Humam Al-Hammami admitted planning to crash a plane destined for Israel last summer.
- Al-Hammami's digital footprint showed extremist views and misogynistic language, investigators found.
- He was previously suspended from Oman Air in 2024 for possessing extremist materials.
- Israeli and U.S. intelligence are assisting the UAE in the ongoing investigation.
- The attack was foiled by the pilot, crew, and Israeli passengers who subdued the attacker.
- The plane made an emergency landing in Taif, Saudi Arabia.
A Flydubai co-pilot, who attempted to down a plane heading to Israel, told investigators he nearly carried out an attack last summer before abandoning the plan. The information was reported by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday evening, citing sources familiar with the investigation. According to the Financial Times, UAE investigators are holding information obtained from the probe into the co-pilot, Humam Al-Hammami. His digital footprint was erased, but investigations revealed he expressed extremist views online, combining conservative and hardline interpretations of Islam with misogynistic language.
Authorities in the UAE are investigating whether Al-Hammami acted alone when he attacked the captain with an emergency axe. The UAE previously declared the incident a "terrorist attack." Two sources told the Financial Times that Al-Hammami consumed extremist content while in Australia, according to his internet search history. Questions are being raised about failures in his background checks and his rehiring as a pilot on a flight to Israel.
ABC News, citing U.S. officials and an Israeli source, reported that Al-Hammami was flagged as a security threat in 2024 and suspended from Oman Air as a trainee pilot for possessing extremist materials and posting violent, antisemitic content online. Despite this, he was hired by Flydubai just eight months prior. Mossad investigators, Israeli aviation experts, and U.S. intelligence agents have arrived in Abu Dhabi to assist with the investigation.
The attack was thwarted by the actions of the captain, the flight crew, and several Israeli passengers. Al-Hammami reportedly attacked the captain with the cockpit's emergency axe and attempted to crash the plane. The injured captain resisted, opening the cockpit door, allowing passenger Yiniv Hayoun, other passengers, and crew to overpower and restrain Al-Hammami. Two off-duty pilots on board regained control of the aircraft, stabilized the flight, and made an emergency landing in Taif, Saudi Arabia, from where Al-Hammami was transferred to UAE authorities.
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