UAE Confirms Flydubai Pilot Planned Suicide Attack on Ben Gurion Airport

The UAE Attorney General has confirmed reports that a Flydubai co-pilot, identified as Omani citizen Hamam Al-Hammami, intended to crash his passenger plane into Ben Gurion Airport on September 30. The Attorney General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated that Al-Hammami confessed to planning a suicide terror attack, aiming to cause maximum casualties. He also revealed that the suspect had become radicalized by Islamist ideology while studying in Australia, influenced by extremist literature and materials glorifying terrorist acts.

According to the investigation, Al-Hammami's radicalization began in 2017, drawing inspiration from the 9/11 attacks. He reportedly sought to emulate similar attacks using an aircraft, which influenced his decision to pursue a career in aviation. During his studies in Melbourne, he frequented a mosque associated with RMIT, where he met individuals linked to a center called My Centre, allegedly run by a Lebanese national known as "Abu Hamza" and funded by a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated charity.

Al-Hammami confessed to preparing for the attack both psychologically and physically, including studying terrorism-promoting materials and training in boxing. Investigators found he used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to study the flight path and airport infrastructure. He planned to execute his attack on his third flight to Israel on September 30.

Flydubai's hiring process for Al-Hammami is under review. The airline stated that he met all professional and security requirements, possessing a valid pilot's license, a clean criminal record, and passing all mandatory checks, none of which indicated his extremist beliefs or intentions.

The UAE authorities presented their version of the events during the flight, where Al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe. Another pilot, who was to operate the return flight, intervened with the help of a crew member and passengers, subduing the attacker and allowing the captain to regain control. The aircraft was diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The UAE account briefly mentions passenger involvement but does not highlight the role of Israeli passengers in preventing the attack.

Al-Hammami provided detailed confessions to investigators in the presence of his lawyer, outlining his motives and planning. He maintained he acted alone, though the investigation continues to verify this claim. Testimony has also been gathered from the captain, the pilots assigned to the return flight, and other crew members.