UAE Attorney General: FlyDubai Pilot's Radicalization Began in Australia
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi announced that the FlyDubai pilot who attempted to hijack a flight to Tel Aviv began radicalizing in Australia in 2017. Hamam al-Hakami was influenced by extremist ideology and planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport's passenger terminal. He was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and prepared for the act over several flights. The pilot was subdued by the crew and passengers, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- UAE Attorney General stated FlyDubai pilot Hamam al-Hakami radicalized in Australia in 2017.
- Al-Hakami confessed to being influenced by extremist ideology and literature while studying in Melbourne.
- The pilot planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport's passenger terminal.
- The 9/11 attacks inspired al-Hakami's plot and his career choice as a pilot.
- Al-Hakami was subdued by crew and passengers after attacking the captain with an axe.
- The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the incident on September 30.
The UAE Attorney General, Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, stated on Friday, October 9, that the second pilot of FlyDubai, who attempted to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, began his radicalization in 2017 while studying in Australia. The statement was released by the official UAE news agency.
According to the investigation, Omani citizen Hamam al-Hakami was influenced by Takfiri ideology during that period, consuming extremist literature and online materials glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks. He confessed to regularly attending a mosque associated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University while studying in Melbourne. There, he met individuals connected to a center called My Centre.
Al-Hakami claimed the center was led by a Lebanese individual nicknamed Abu Hamza and allegedly supported by an organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The 9/11 attacks in the US inspired his plot, which also influenced his choice of profession as a pilot. He prepared for the attack both mentally and physically, including boxing training with a personal coach.
The Attorney General confirmed that the suspect intended to crash the plane into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport to maximize casualties. Al-Hakami maintains he acted alone, and the investigation is ongoing to verify this. He used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to study the route and airport, planning to execute his plan on the third flight, September 30.
Al-Hakami met all professional and security requirements upon hiring by FlyDubai, with no signs of extremist views detected during checks. On the day of the incident, he attacked the captain in the cockpit with an emergency axe. The attacker was subdued by the captain of the return flight, a crew member, and several passengers. The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
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