Initial findings indicate that the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of an Israel-bound flight appears to have acted alone, rather than as part of an organised group or at the direction of a foreign government, according to multiple US officials familiar with the investigation and a former Israeli security official cited by NBC News.
US officials stressed that the investigation into last Wednesday’s incident is still in its early stages.
READ: Flydubai pilot stabbing and attempted crash: What we know so far
Shalom Ben Hanan, a former official with Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet, said the current assessment points to a lone-wolf attack allegedly inspired by material found online.
He cautioned, however, that investigators still need to determine whether any organisation or state was involved.
Emirati authorities, who are overseeing the investigation, said on Saturday that the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a crash ax and tried to take control of the aircraft’s flight controls in what they described as an attempted terrorist attack.
The suspect, Omani national Hamam Hamami, told Emirati investigators during questioning that he had planned to deliberately crash the passenger jet into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, said an Israeli source.
According to the source, Hamami told investigators that he had begun planning the attack before being hired by Flydubai. He allegedly researched airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv and sought employment with them before eventually joining Flydubai.
READ: UAE attorney-general responds to Flydubai attempted terrorist act
The flight was carrying 174 passengers, most of them Israelis, from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The attempted crash was thwarted after crew members and passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker, according to eyewitnesses and Israeli officials.
Following the incident, Israel’s Transportation Ministry notified foreign airlines that crew members holding sole or dual nationality from any of 27 countries, including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are prohibited from operating or travelling as crew on flights to Israel.
- The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to crash an Israel-bound flight appears to have acted alone, without involvement from an organized group or foreign government.
- The co-pilot, Omani national Hamam Hamami, allegedly planned to deliberately crash the plane into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
- Hamami reportedly began planning the attack before being hired by Flydubai and researched airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv to seek employment.
- The attempted crash was prevented when crew members and passengers entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker.
- Following the incident, Israel's Transportation Ministry banned crew members with sole or dual nationality from 27 countries, including Oman and Saudi Arabia, from operating or traveling as crew on flights to Israel.
