flydubai Co-Pilot Developed Extremist Views In 2017 While In Australia: UAE

The Omani co-pilot who attacked flydubai flight FZ1073 captain Smit Machchhar on September 30 had planned to crash it at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, the top prosecutor of the United Arab Emirates Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on Friday.

The 29-year-old co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami by foreign media, had allegedly prepare din advance to seize control of the flydubai aircraft and use it in a suicide attack. His target was the passenger terminal of Tel Aviv's international airport.

The Omani national had drawn inspiration from the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US World Trade Centre's Twin Towers, which killed hundreds of people, according to his confession shared by investigators. They said the idea of replicating such an operation using an aircraft became established in his thinking, a motive he reportedly linked to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.

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UAE further said the co-pilot started developing extremist views in 2017 when he was studying in Australia. He used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to study the route and the airport before making the attempt to crash the flydubai flight on September 30, the investigation found.

On September 30, the day of the planned attack, the Omani citizen allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit with its emergency axe. A returning flight captain, a crew member and several passengers intervened to rescue captain Smit Machchhar and subsequently subdued the suspect.

Control of the aircraft was then restored and the flight was diverted safely to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

A forensic medical report found that the captain had sustained recent injuries concentrated on the head, an area identified as vital and potentially fatal. The injuries were consistent with the timing of the incident and with an implement matching the characteristics of an emergency axe. The findings also corresponded with statements from the captain, the suspect and other witnesses.

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In his confession in the presence of his lawyer, investigators said, the suspect said he acted alone. UAE prosecuters ar further investigating the attack. Evidence, recordings, and technical reports are being examined to determine whether there were any accomplices or wider links.

Suspect Worked For Multiple Airlines

The investigation traced the suspect's professional career across several airlines. He worked for Oman Air from 2020 to 2024, joined Royal Air Maroc in early 2025 and remained there for several months before moving to flydubai in January 2026.

Authorities also examined his activities while studying in Melbourne. The suspect reportedly told investigators that he regularly attended a mosque affiliated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), where he became acquainted with individuals associated with a centre known as "My Centre".

He alleged that the centre was managed by a Lebanese man known as "Abu Hamza" and received support from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. These claims form part of the account under examination by investigators.

According to his confession, the suspect prepared himself psychologically and physically for the alleged operation by increasing his exposure to material promoting terrorism and undertaking boxing training with a private coach.

Investigators also reviewed the procedures followed when flydubai recruited him. The findings indicated that he had satisfied the airline's professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot's licence, submitting a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks. However, these procedures did not identify indications of extremist views or an intention to carry out an attack.

Passengers described rushing the cockpit and a fight for control after the plane suddenly plunged by around 17,000 feet. Captain Machchhar was seriously wounded in the attack, but he was rescued when passengers pushed open the cockpit door and intervened.

The Public Prosecution has also recorded statements from the injured captain, the return-flight pilot, his co-pilot and crew members.

Al Shamsi said the investigation remained open as authorities continued to verify the suspect's claim that he acted independently, examine possible accomplices or other connections, and review recordings and technical reports. Further findings will be announced as appropriate, in line with the requirements of the ongoing investigation.