Sourced fact
The News
The UAE authorities confirmed that a co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carried out a terrorist attempt, where he attacked the pilot with a sharp object before passengers managed to subdue him. Initial investigations revealed that the co-pilot, a citizen of Oman named Hammam Al-Hammami, planned to hijack the plane and crash it into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv or a residential building in the city. Israeli sources reported that Al-Hammami informed the investigators that he intended to carry out an attack similar to the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Al-Hammami was subjected to "Islamic radicalization" and that passenger and crew actions prevented a catastrophe. Netanyahu added that the investigation will cover all security aspects related to foreign civilian flights to Israel. UAE authorities confirmed that the investigations will continue to determine the motives and full reasons behind the incident.
Investigations indicated that Al-Hammami was dismissed from his job as a pilot with Oman Air due to concerns about his radicalization, but he was later hired by FlyDubai after undergoing standard security checks that did not reveal his past. Israeli officials noted that local laws prohibit pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, from flying to Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Transportation admitted that it did not receive the passenger and crew manifest before the flight.
Israeli sources confirmed that the Internal Security Agency "Shin Bet" was responsible for verifying the lists, but the agency denied this. Israeli authorities emphasized the need for a thorough review of all security aspects related to foreign civilian flights to Israel. Israeli sources noted that Al-Hammami had studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017, and investigations are ongoing in this regard.
Analysis & context
Analysis & Context
From an analytical perspective, this incident highlights the security challenges faced by airlines in the region. Despite stringent security measures, individuals sympathetic to extremist ideologies can slip through the net.
In a broader context, the incident reflects political tensions between the UAE and Israel, raising questions about security cooperation between the two countries.
The incident also underscores the need to improve security verification procedures to ensure there is no potential threat from extremist sympathizers among aircraft crews.
