'Inspired by 9/11’: Omani flydubai co-pilot planned to crash jet into Israeli airport, claims UAE

The Omani co-pilot of a Flydubai passenger aircraft planned to seize control of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and crash it into a terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack inspired by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the United Arab Emirates’ attorney general said on Friday.According to the UAE state news agency WAM, Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the findings emerged from an investigation launched on October 1 into the September 30 incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073.The co-pilot’s plan was thwarted by the aircraft's Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, who prevented him from taking control of the aircraft.UAE public prosecutors believe the alleged plot was inspired by the September 11 attacks on the United States, UAE state news agency WAM reported.Investigators said the suspect had taken two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to “familiarise himself with the flight route and the airport”.The 29-year-old suspect, identified in earlier reports as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly intended to cause the greatest possible loss of life, according to findings released by the UAE attorney general.The September 30 incident ended with an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. The incident caused the jet to plunge 16,000 feet in 30 seconds, according to the account provided in reports on the investigation.Al Shamsi said the suspect had previously worked for several airlines in different countries, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining Flydubai in January 2026.The Jerusalem Post reported that the investigation found the alleged plot was premeditated and that the suspect’s shift towards extremism began in 2017, while he was studying in Australia.Earlier, two Israeli officials familiar with the investigation had told news agency Reuters, that the co-pilot had told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before being hired by Flydubai.A third source briefed on the UAE investigation told Reuters that the suspect had also intended to hijack and crash an earlier flight to Tel Aviv but did not carry out the plan.“It was not immediately clear why the co-pilot changed his mind on that previous flight,” Reuters reported, citing the source, who added that the co-pilot was thought to have known someone onboard.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.