Flydubai Co-pilot Planned to Crash Plane Into Ben Gurion Airport, Inspired by 9/11
- UAE's Attorney General revealed that the Flydubai hijack suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, had a long-held plan rooted in the September 11, 2001 attacks
- Preliminary findings showed al-Hammami previously flew two routes to Tel Aviv specifically to study the airport before the attack
- Investigators found al-Hammami passed all of Flydubai's professional and security requirements during recruitment, raising deeper questions
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
A preliminary investigation by UAE authorities has found that the co-pilot who allegedly attempted to hijack a Flydubai flight last month had intended to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, targeting the busiest point of entry into Israel to cause "the greatest possible number of casualties."
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said in a statement carried by Emirati state media on Friday that the suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, 29, harboured a premeditated terrorist plot and had drawn direct inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed after four hijacked commercial planes were crashed into targets across the United States.
Source: UGC
"The idea of carrying out a similar operation using an aircraft became firmly established in his mind, which, according to his confessions, was connected to his decision to pursue a career in aviation," Al Shamsi said.
Al-Hammami's path to radicalisation
Investigators found that al-Hammami first developed extremist tendencies in 2017 while studying in Australia, where he consumed publications and online content that glorified terrorist organisations and self-killing operations. He later prepared himself both mentally and physically for the attack by deepening his exposure to extremist material and training in boxing under a private coach, the attorney general's statement indicated.
Before joining Flydubai in January 2026, al-Hammami worked at Oman Air between 2020 and 2024, where, according to a source who spoke to CNN, he was removed from flight training due to concerns about his radical views and placed in a different role. He subsequently spent several months at Royal Air Maroc in 2025 during a pre-employment training period but was not selected for a full position, the airline told the Associated Press.
The September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was not al-Hammami's first time on the route. The investigation revealed he had previously participated in two earlier flights to Ben Gurion Airport to familiarise himself with both the route and the airport layout ahead of his planned attack.
How the hijacking was stopped
Al-Hammami was overpowered by the aircraft's captain and a number of passengers who restrained him and regained control of the plane before the attack could be carried out.
UAE investigators reviewed Flydubai's hiring process and found that al-Hammami had satisfied all professional and security requirements at the time of his recruitment, including holding a valid pilot's licence, a certificate of good conduct, and completing the required examinations. The attorney general said there were "no indications emerging during those procedures that revealed his extremist inclinations or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot."
Al-Hammami told authorities he acted alone, though investigators said that claim remains under review. Authorities are continuing to examine physical evidence, technical reports, and flight recordings, and are looking into whether anyone else was involved.
Resurfaced interview of Flydubai pilot goes viral
Legit.ng earlier reported that a podcast interview filmed long before anyone could have anticipated what would happen aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 is now being watched by millions around the world, and the reason why has left people speechless.
Source: Legit.ng
