A FlyDubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on a Tel Aviv-bound flight earlier this week has been identified as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. According to a Middle Eastern source, al-Hammami was barred from flying with Oman Air in 2024 due to concerns about extremist views. The source also stated that al-Hammami moved to Dubai later that year.
The United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation into the attack on FlyDubai Flight 1073, said the co-pilot attacked Capt. Smit Machchhar with the cockpit's crash axe, incapacitating him and causing the aircraft to plummet before passengers on board seized control of the plane. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to determine whether al-Hammami acted alone or had any connection to extremist groups.
FlyDubai has come under scrutiny for not checking with Oman Air about al-Hammami's background before hiring him. A Gulf diplomat told The Associated Press that investigators are working to determine whether al-Hammami's actions were a "lone wolf" incident or had any connection to extremist groups.
Oman had previously barred al-Hammami from flying due to concerns that he had adopted extremist views. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as an act of terrorism, saying the attacker had undergone "Islamic radicalization."
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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