The Flydubai co-pilot reportedly said in his interrogation that he planned the September 30 attempted hijacking before he was hired, and that he deliberately chose the airline because it flies to Tel Aviv, according to The Zioneer.
The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack flight FZ1073 on September 30 told investigators that he deliberately chose the airline because it flies to Tel Aviv and that he had planned the operation before being hired, according to interrogation quotes published this evening. "I looked for which airline flies to Tel Aviv and because of that I chose Flydubai. I planned the operation even before I was accepted to the company," the co-pilot reportedly said.
The quotes confirm and expand on earlier reporting. Earlier today, The Zioneer reported that the co-pilot admitted in interrogation that he joined Flydubai specifically to fly the Dubai–Tel Aviv route, according to a news broadcast. Yesterday evening, The Zioneer reported that an Israeli investigation team arrived in the United Arab Emirates to question the co-pilot. Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that the Omani national, Hamam al-Hammami, was previously fired by Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc after extremist materials were found in his possession, and that he published content supporting al-Qaeda and promoting religious extremism.
The incident occurred on September 30 when al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to crash the Boeing 737 into Israeli territory. Israeli passengers subdued him, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. As The Zioneer has previously reported, al-Hammami confessed to planning to crash the plane into a Ben Gurion Airport terminal or a Tel Aviv skyscraper.
The investigation continues as Israeli and UAE authorities probe the co-pilot's background and the airline's hiring practices. Further details from the interrogation may shed light on whether the co-pilot had any external connections or accomplices.
8 developments
- StrongOmani co-pilot told interrogators he planned to crash plane at Ben Gurion as 'revenge for Gaza'
- StrongFlydubai passengers tell New York Post: crew asked us to release terrorist co-pilot
- StrongShin Bet investigating terrorist who attempted to hijack Flydubai flight
- DevelopingIsrael Hayom reports new details linking Flydubai hijacking suspect to Iran
Source and signal
- Open-source intake