Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Israeli airport, UAE prosecutors say

A Flydubai co-pilot attacked the Indian pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Prosecutors say Hammam al-Hammami intended to take control of the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion airport. They described the plan as a suicide attack designed to cause the greatest possible loss of life.

The attack began with an emergency axe strike. Although badly injured, the pilot opened the cockpit’s security door. Passengers then entered the cockpit and overpowered al-Hammami before he could control the plane. The aircraft carried about 180 passengers, many of them Israeli.

An off-duty relief pilot was among the passengers. He eventually landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia. Al-Hammami was taken into Emirati custody and admitted the plot, according to the UAE attorney-general. Investigations continued in the UAE, Australia, and New Zealand, including questions about how he passed aviation security checks.

A cockpit security door is a reinforced barrier separating pilots from passengers and other people in the cabin. Its purpose is to control access to the flight deck during a flight. In this incident, the door became important because the attacker was already inside the cockpit, while passengers were outside and unable to intervene directly.

Al-Hammami attacked the Indian pilot with an emergency axe. The pilot was badly injured but still opened the security door. That action created a path for passengers to reach the cockpit. They then worked together to overpower the co-pilot before he could prevent the aircraft from continuing toward Israel or carry out his alleged plan.

The source does not describe the door’s design or locking system in detail. It does show its practical role in the emergency: once the injured pilot opened it, passengers could intervene. Their action, combined with the presence of an off-duty relief pilot, helped prevent the attempted takeover from becoming a crash.

The aircraft carried about 180 passengers, according to the source. The passengers were overwhelmingly Israeli, and Israel’s prime minister later praised both them and the pilot for their bravery. The article does not give a precise total for everyone aboard, so the clearest figure is the number of passengers rather than the aircraft’s full occupancy.

After al-Hammami attacked the pilot, passengers entered the cockpit and overpowered him. An off-duty relief pilot was among those passengers. He was able to take responsibility for flying the aircraft after the immediate danger was contained. This provided the trained replacement needed to continue the flight safely.

The aircraft was landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The emergency landing ended the immediate threat, but it did not end the investigation. UAE prosecutors examined the alleged plot, while authorities in Australia and New Zealand investigated al-Hammami’s time, studies, and flight training in their countries. Officials also reviewed how he had passed vetting for aviation work.

For Hammam al-Hammami, the immediate consequence was detention in the UAE. The attorney-general said he confessed, in the presence of a lawyer and with legal safeguards, to planning and carrying out the attempted attack. Investigators were still checking his claim that he acted alone. Prosecutors said the alleged target was Ben Gurion airport’s passenger terminal.

The airline connection created questions for Flydubai, a government-owned low-cost carrier that had hired him. The article does not report a punishment against Flydubai. It does report widespread concern about how he passed vetting and joined a crew flying to Israel. His earlier employment included Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc.

Authorities in several countries responded. Australia began investigating his two years as a student there, and New Zealand investigated his flight training. UAE officials examined whether he belonged to al-Qaida, Islamic State, or another group. They believed he acted alone, but investigations continued to verify that assessment.

Hammam al-Hammami was a 29-year-old Omani national who worked in aviation. He had been employed by Oman Air, Royal Air Maroc, and then Flydubai. UAE prosecutors said he became radicalized while studying in Australia. They linked his alleged motives to hardline takfiri ideology, extremist writings, and online material praising terrorist organizations and suicide attacks.

According to the attorney-general, al-Hammami developed ideas supporting violence and terrorism. He also drew inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks. The idea of repeating a similar operation with an aircraft became established in his thinking. Prosecutors said this was connected to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.

Al-Shamsi said al-Hammami admitted a premeditated plan to attack Ben Gurion airport’s passenger terminal. The stated aim was to cause the greatest possible loss of life. Investigators found that he had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and airport, reinforcing prosecutors’ account of preparation.

Investigators examined al-Hammami’s previous flights because prosecutors said he was preparing an attack rather than acting spontaneously. The Emirati state news agency reported that he had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport. Those journeys could help establish planning, preparation, and knowledge of the intended target.

His education and employment history mattered for another reason. Al-Hammami studied in Australia, trained in New Zealand, earned a distance-learning aviation management degree, and worked for several airlines before joining Flydubai. Officials wanted to understand how someone with this background passed security checks and gained access to a crew flying to Israel.

Authorities also reviewed the history to determine whether he acted alone or belonged to a larger organization. A connection to al-Qaida or Islamic State could have indicated that further attacks were planned. UAE authorities believed he acted alone, but they said investigations were continuing to verify his confession.

Radicalization is a process in which a person adopts extreme beliefs and may come to see violence as acceptable or necessary. It does not automatically lead to terrorism, but extremist propaganda can encourage that path by praising violent groups, presenting attacks as heroic, and offering simple explanations for complex grievances. These influences can reshape how someone interprets events and choices.

The UAE attorney-general said al-Hammami encountered hardline takfiri ideas while studying in Australia. Prosecutors said he read extremist literature and viewed online content glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks. They also said the September 11, 2001 attacks inspired him. In their account, he then connected aviation with the idea of repeating a mass-casualty attack.

The article presents these claims as part of al-Hammami’s confession and the prosecutors’ statement. It does not establish that propaganda alone caused his actions. It does show why investigators examined his studies, online influences, career choice, earlier flights, and possible links to terrorist groups while assessing the alleged plan.