UAE Says Flydubai Co-Pilot’s Alleged Plot Was Inspired by 9/11 Attacks
UAE investigators say the co-pilot of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight planned to seize the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. The preliminary findings link the alleged plot to the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
DUBAI — Investigators in the United Arab Emirates say the co-pilot accused of trying to hijack a Flydubai flight last month wanted to carry out an attack similar to the September 11, 2001 terror strikes in the United States. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi shared the preliminary findings in a statement on Friday, October 9.
The suspect has been named as Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. According to prosecutors, he planned to take control of the aircraft, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, and crash it into the passenger terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in order to cause as many deaths as possible. Authorities described the incident as a planned terrorist act and not a spur-of-the-moment event.
The flight was diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The diversion brought the incident to an end without the aircraft reaching its intended destination.
Investigators say the idea of repeating the 2001 attacks with an aircraft took hold in his mind and was linked to his decision to become a pilot, based on what he told them after his arrest. Prosecutors also say his turn towards extremism began in 2017, when he was studying in Australia, and was influenced by extremist writings and online content.
The suspect worked for Oman Air from 2020 to 2024 and trained with Royal Air Maroc in 2025, before joining Flydubai in January 2026. UAE investigators said he met all professional and security requirements for the job, including holding a valid pilot’s licence and clearing background checks. The attorney general did not blame Flydubai for the incident, according to Reuters.
Prosecutors say the suspect had made two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and airport. On September 30, he allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe. A pilot travelling on the flight, cabin crew members and passengers intervened and restrained him, helping to stop the alleged attack. The captain sustained head injuries but was able to open the cockpit door.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, including efforts to determine whether anyone else was involved. The findings released so far are preliminary, and the suspect has not been convicted of any crime.
Why it matters: The case shows that a person with valid licences and clean background checks can still pose a danger, which is likely to bring fresh attention to how airlines screen and monitor their flight crew. Many Indians fly with Gulf carriers every day, so aviation security in the region is a matter of close interest here as well.