UAE Prosecutor: Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Suicide Attack on Ben Gurion Airport
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
The UAE Attorney General confirmed that a Flydubai co-pilot, Hammam Al-Hamami, planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport as a suicide attack. He confessed to acting alone and cited revenge for Gaza as his motive. Passengers and crew intervened, subduing Al-Hamami and safely landing the plane in Saudi Arabia. Investigations are ongoing.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- UAE prosecutor confirmed Flydubai co-pilot Hammam Al-Hamami planned to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
- Al-Hamami, an Omani citizen, confessed to acting alone and cited revenge for Gaza as motive.
- He scouted Ben Gurion Airport routes on prior flights and drew inspiration from 9/11 attacks.
- Passengers and crew intervened, restraining Al-Hamami and saving the captain.
- The plane was safely diverted and landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Investigators are examining Al-Hamami's phone for further details on his intentions.
The Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates confirmed on Friday that the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv intended to crash the plane into the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, according to the UAE's official news agency. The co-pilot, identified as Hammam Al-Hamami, an Omani citizen, reportedly confessed during interrogation that he acted alone, though the investigation is ongoing. He had previously flown to Tel Aviv twice to scout routes to the airport and is suspected of drawing inspiration from the 9/11 attacks. Al-Hamami allegedly planned to hijack the aircraft and carry out a suicide mission.
According to the prosecutor, Al-Hamami visited Israel in June to gather intelligence for the planned terror attack. He then piloted a flight to Israel in July, during which he intended to crash the plane. He postponed this attempt due to his proximity to a crew member, rescheduling it for late September. On the day of the incident, Al-Hamami surprised the captain in the cockpit and attacked him with an emergency axe. The captain resisted and attempted to call for help.
The returning flight's captain, who happened to be near the cockpit, noticed unusual door activity, became suspicious, and managed to enter. He witnessed Al-Hamami attacking the captain and intervened with the help of a flight attendant and several passengers. They successfully subdued and restrained Al-Hamami, saving the injured captain. The returning captain and his co-pilot took control of the aircraft, diverted its course, and landed it safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Al-Hamami confessed his motive was revenge for events in Gaza, stating he wanted to die as a martyr. New footage from the flight shows an Israeli passenger named Adar reassuring other passengers minutes after the incident, explaining that a hijacker had entered the cockpit and stabbed one pilot, while the other pilot was in control and the hijacker was restrained. Investigators in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are examining Al-Hamami's phone data for further details on his profile and intentions.
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