The co-pilot accused of assaulting the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 and attempting to take control of the plane had previously been suspended from flying to Oman over concerns of radical ideology, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The pilot has been identified as Omani national Hammam al-Hamami. Despite restrictions in his home country, he was later hired by Flydubai and was included in the crew flying the sensitive route between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. It is not known whether Oman passed on the information to the airline or other countries.
The plane was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when Hamami attacked the captain in the cockpit with an emergency axe. The plane began a steep descent over Saudi Arabia before passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and neutralized the attacker. The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk. According to the Associated Press, there were 182 people on board.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi said the investigation had identified an attempted “terrorist attack”. Hamami was detained after landing, and the investigation is being led by UAE authorities with the participation of Israeli officials. His motives and the circumstances under which he was allowed onto Flydubai flights are still being clarified.
NBC News: Early indications point to a solo attack
Early indications suggest that the co-pilot likely acted alone, and not as part of a larger organization or on behalf of a foreign government. This was reported by NBC News, citing American officials familiar with the investigation and a former employee of the Israeli Shin Bet service.
„The assessment is that he acted alone. So far, it looks like „lone wolf“ terrorism, inspired by content on the Internet,“ said Shalom Ben Hanan.He stressed that the final results could change that assessment. US officials have also warned that the investigation is in its early stages and that links to an organization or state have not been ruled out.
Questions about verifications remain
The case raises questions about information sharing between countries and airlines. According to the Wall Street Journal, Flydubai has not commented on the pilot's story while the investigation is ongoing, and Oman has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The Associated Press reported that the UAE provided Israel with a list of passengers and crew before the flight, but Israeli authorities did not report a problem with a crew member. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the pilot was subjected to Islamic radicalization, but no evidence has been publicly presented about his specific motives.
Investigators are yet to determine whether Hamami acted on his own initiative, how he passed the hiring process, and why the information from Oman did not lead to restrictions on his access to flights to Israel.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, NBC News