UAE Prosecutor: Omani Co-Pilot Planned Suicide Attack on Ben Gurion Airport

The UAE's Prosecutor General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, announced that an investigation into Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, revealed that the Omani co-pilot had planned a "terrorist act." The plan involved hijacking the aircraft and using it for a suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport's passenger terminal to cause maximum casualties.

Al Shamsi detailed that the 29-year-old co-pilot's extremist ideology began in 2017 while studying in Australia, where he was influenced by radical literature and online content glorifying terrorist groups and suicide operations. He adopted violent and extremist ideas, inspired by the 9/11 attacks, and developed the idea of using an airplane for a similar operation, which led him to pursue a career in aviation.

The co-pilot worked for Oman Air from 2020 to 2024, then briefly for Royal Air Maroc in early 2025, before joining Flydubai in January 2026. During his studies in Melbourne, he frequented a mosque associated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and interacted with individuals from the "My Center" organization, reportedly run by a Lebanese man named "Abu Hamza" and supported by an organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He prepared himself psychologically and physically for the attack by consuming extremist material and training with a private boxing coach.

He had previously used two flights to Tel Aviv to scout the route and airport before attempting the attack on his third trip. The investigation found that he met all professional and security hiring requirements at Flydubai, with no indicators of his extremist leanings appearing during the process.

On the day of the incident, the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe in the cockpit. The captain resisted and attempted to call for help. The pilot of the return flight, who was near the cockpit, noticed unusual activity and managed to enter, witnessing the assault. With the help of a flight attendant and passengers, they subdued the co-pilot and rescued the injured captain. The return flight pilot and co-pilot regained control of the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The co-pilot confessed to the detailed motives and planning stages, claiming he acted alone. Investigations are ongoing to verify this. The prosecution has interviewed the captain, the return flight crew, and flight attendants. Forensic reports confirm the captain's head injuries were consistent with an attack by an emergency axe, aligning with witness accounts. The prosecution continues to examine evidence for any accomplices or further connections.