Netanyahu claims flydubai co-pilot underwent 'radical indoctrination'
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A plane, carrying passengers who were on the flydubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates. (Reuters: Ammar Awad)
In short:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims the flydubai co-pilot involved in a mid-air incident had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination".
Four Israelis who helped overpower the co-pilot after the mid-air stabbing incident, along with pilot, Captain Smit Machchha, have been hailed as heroes.
What's next?
UAE, meanwhile, says it will investigate the circumstances and motives of the incident, including whether it was linked to any militant activity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed the co-pilot involved in the flydubai mid-air stabbing incident underwent "Islamist radical indoctrination".
The leader's claim comes as the United Arab Emirates launched its own investigation into the incident, and whether there were links to militant activity.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai was scheduled to land in Tel Aviv, but was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia after an altercation in the cockpit, the United Arab Emirates news agency reported on Wednesday, local time.
Mr Netanyahu has said in a Fox News interview that the co-pilot "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination".
He also told "Fox & Friends" he would be able to say in a matter of days whether flydubai co-pilot had connections to Iran.
"I think it's too early to say whether he had any connections with Iran or with any anyone else," he said.
Mr Netanyahu also claimed it was clear that the co-pilot was suicidal.
"If you couple that with the what I just told you about the Islamist tendencies, that radicalisation that are found in his background, I think that's - that'll give us the a pretty good clue," he said.
"But again, I don't make final conclusions yet. But that's the indications we have now."
Captain Smit Machchhar had been working for airlines for more than a decade, according to his LinkedIn profile. (Supplied: Israel Foreign Ministry)
The UAE chief prosecutor said on Thursday local time, an investigation had been launched including the possibility of "terrorist activity or intent."
Israeli intelligence and security officials were in Saudi Arabia to help investigate the co-pilot, according to another regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Yaniv Hayun, a passenger on the flydubai flight. (Reuters via GPO)
Israel has requested that the co-pilot be sent to Israel for the investigation, though it is unclear if that request will be granted, the official said.
The state news agency WAM said the attorney general had ordered the probe, adding that "the investigation team has launched its work into the incident" that forced the plane to land in Saudi Arabia.
It also said the investigation would determine "the degree to which (the incident) was linked to any terrorist activity or intent".
UAE judicial authorities have jurisdiction over the incident because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag, the statement said, adding that UAE law applies to crimes committed on board "even if they occur outside the country's territory".
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