Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned 9/11-Style Attack on Tel Aviv Airport, UAE Says
UAE prosecutors have revealed that a Flydubai co-pilot spent years planning a 9/11-style suicide attack on Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport before being overpowered mid-flight.
- Headline: Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned 9/11-Style Attack on Tel Aviv Airport, UAE Says
- Dispatch Summary: UAE prosecutors have revealed that a Flydubai co-pilot spent years planning a 9/11-style suicide attack on Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport before being overpowered mid-flight.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
I did it as revenge for Gaza. I wanted to die as a shahid,
the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot told investigators, according to Israel's Channel 12 News. That confession anchors the chilling reality behind what United Arab Emirates prosecutors revealed on Friday: a multi-year plot to hijack a commercial airliner and execute a 9/11-style suicide strike on Ben Gurion Airport. The revelations transform what initially appeared as an isolated mid-air struggle into a meticulously planned act of mass-casualty terrorism that came terrifyingly close to success.
UAE Attorney General Dr. Hamad Al Shamsi announced the findings of the investigation into the September 30 incident aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073. The flight departed Dubai at 7:05 am (03:05 GMT) bound for Tel Aviv, carrying 174 people on board, predominantly Israeli nationals. Investigators determined that the suspect, identified by people with direct knowledge of the matter as Hamam al-Hammami, had spent years preparing for the operation. His radicalization traceably began in 2017 while he was studying in Australia, where he consumed extremist literature and online materials glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks.
That psychological preparation was paired with physical conditioning, including private boxing lessons. Al-Hammami chose to pursue a commercial aviation career specifically to facilitate the attack, working through multiple regional carriers before joining Flydubai in January 2026. Prior to the September 30 flight, he took two separate trips to Tel Aviv solely to familiarize himself with the flight route and Ben Gurion Airport.
How did the cockpit attack unfold mid-flight?
The execution of the plot began more than two hours into the journey as the aircraft cruised. Al-Hammami launched an unexpected assault on the flight's captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, attacking him with an emergency axe inside the cockpit. A forensic medical examination later confirmed that Machchhar sustained severe head injuries to a potentially fatal area. Amid the struggle, the aircraft plunged dramatically, shedding more than 17,000 feet in about two minutes from a cruising altitude of 34,000 feet down to about 5,000 metres (17,000 feet), before climbing and descending again.
Suspicion had already been aroused when a reserve pilot assigned to operate the return flight noticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly. That pilot approached the cockpit, entered the access code, and discovered the co-pilot assaulting the captain. Assisted by a cabin crew member and several passengers who rushed the cockpit, they managed to overpower and restrain the attacker. Two reserve pilots took control of the jet, switched the transponder to code 7500 to signal unlawful interference, and diverted the aircraft. The plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia at 9:45 am local time (06:45 GMT).
That harrowing intervention by passengers and crew averted a catastrophic disaster on the ground. Israeli nationals on board have since been praised as heroes in Israel for their split-second bravery. Both pilots were initially hospitalized in Saudi Arabia before being medically cleared and transferred to Abu Dhabi.
That screening failure leaves the aviation industry facing uncomfortable questions. Al-Hammami met every standard regulatory hurdle across multiple employers, demonstrating that standard background checks and certificates of good conduct can completely miss a deeply committed operative playing a long game.
Where did the radicalization and training take place?
The trail laid out by prosecutors connects the suspect's ideological transformation to specific institutions across three continents. During his 2017 studies in Melbourne, Australia, al-Hammami attended a mosque affiliated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). There, he encountered individuals linked to a center known as "My Centre," managed by a Lebanese man named "Abu Hamza" and reportedly supported by an association tied to the Muslim Brotherhood.
On the professional training front, British media reports revealed that al-Hammami attended the L3 Airline Academy in the United Kingdom between 2018 and 2019. The institution operated major training hubs in Southampton and Bournemouth, alongside a flight simulator facility near Gatwick Airport. L3 maintained direct connections with Oman Air, where al-Hammami subsequently worked from 2020 to 2024. Oman Air had listed the academy among five internationally recognized flight training institutions whose graduates were eligible for its pilot recruitment program.
Following his tenure at Oman Air, the suspect spent a brief period with Royal Air Maroc in early 2025 before securing his position at Flydubai in January 2026. The documented progression through multiple respected carriers demonstrates how easily an individual with hidden intent can transition across international aviation sectors without triggering institutional alarms.
What do the airlines and prosecutors say now?
The official response from Emirati authorities draws a sharp line between individual malice and corporate complicity. Attorney General Al Shamsi's statements emphasized that the investigation does not implicate Flydubai as an organization in any wrongdoing, focusing entirely on the lone actor. Prosecutors noted that al-Hammami provided a detailed confession outlining his motives and the planning stages in the presence of his lawyer and under legally prescribed safeguards, maintaining that he acted entirely alone.
| Carrier | Employment Period | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oman Air | 2020 – 2024 | Co-pilot / Pilot |
| Royal Air Maroc | Early 2025 (several months) | Pilot |
| Flydubai | January 2026 – September 30, 2026 | Co-pilot |
That employment history illustrates a steady climb through regional commercial carriers over six years. Each transition required fresh credential verification, yet every system accepted his paperwork without detecting the ideological shift that began in Melbourne nearly a decade prior.
What happens next in the investigation?
Even though the suspect confessed and claimed sole responsibility, Emirati authorities are pressing forward to ensure no network exists in the shadows. The Public Prosecution is continuing to review technical reports, flight recordings, and communication logs to verify whether al-Hammami maintained active accomplices or external connections.
Investigators are also analyzing formal statements gathered from the injured captain, Smit Machchhar, alongside testimony from the return-flight pilots and cabin crew members who wrestled back control of Flight FZ1073. Watch for upcoming announcements from UAE prosecutors as they conclude their technical reviews and determine whether formal trial proceedings will bring additional co-conspirators to light.
