UAE Prosecutor Reveals Pilot Planned Ben Gurion Airport Attack Inspired by 9/11

The Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi, revealed shocking details from the investigation into an attempted attack on a Flydubai flight bound for Israel. The investigation indicates that a major aviation disaster and mass casualties at Ben Gurion Airport were averted due to unprecedented circumstances. Findings show the co-pilot, an Omani citizen, was inspired by the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States to pursue a career in aviation. He planned to hijack the plane mid-flight and crash it into the crowded passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport to cause mass fatalities.

The pilot's murderous plan was initiated at high altitude when he suddenly attacked the captain with an emergency axe from the cockpit. However, quick thinking and bravery from crew members and passengers prevented the horrific attack. Alert flight personnel and passengers fought the attacker, successfully overpowering and neutralizing him. Following the mid-air struggle, the plane was diverted for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

During his interrogation, and in an official statement from the UAE prosecution, the attacker admitted that the 9/11 events were a major source of inspiration, and the idea of carrying out a similar act with an airplane had become fixed in his mind over the years. He also stated, "I did it as revenge for Gaza, I wanted to die as a martyr." Investigators noted that the pilot expressed a desire for revenge due to the war in Gaza and wished to die during the operation.

It was also revealed that the pilot had planned to crash into a US base in Jordan if he could not reach Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli authorities are now working to understand the full picture and determine if this was a personal initiative or if the pilot was directed or recruited by another party. Representatives from Israel's Shin Bet security agency have traveled to the UAE to participate in the interrogation of the Omani pilot. Flight crew members are also being investigated, and they have denied any involvement in the pilot's attempt. Four Israeli passengers, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musaev, Zvika Mans, and Assaf Radwan, rushed the cockpit and subdued the attacker, saving all on board. The operation to return Israeli passengers from Dubai via Israeli airlines is ongoing and expected to conclude on Thursday, with 7,415 passengers having returned to Israel so far.