i24News reports that workers involved in hiring the Omani pilot for Flydubai say the airline checked his criminal record but did not investigate his background with Oman Air—where the pilot had already been classified as a security risk and banned from flying due to extremist views.
i24News reported Monday evening that workers involved in hiring the Omani co-pilot for Flydubai told the outlet the airline checked his criminal record but did not investigate his background with his previous employer, Oman Air — where he had already been flagged as a security risk and banned from flying due to extremist views.
On October 3, CBS News reported that Flydubai hired Hamam al-Hammami without conducting a background check with the Omani government, which had previously monitored his visits to extremist websites. An Israeli security official told CBS that authorities are investigating whether the incident was an attempted 9/11-style terror attack. As The Zioneer reported at the time, the suspect allegedly attacked the captain and tried to crash the Boeing 737 into Israeli territory before being subdued by Israeli passengers.
The September 30 incident aboard flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv prompted an emergency diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The Transportation Ministry has disputed reports that Israeli authorities received the crew manifest before departure, stating it never received the list. The Tax Authority confirmed the passenger and crew list was received, but noted that the Mossad has access to the database and does not routinely screen passenger lists.
The investigation into al-Hammami's motives and the extent of Flydubai's vetting procedures remains ongoing. It is not yet clear what additional checks, if any, the airline is now conducting for crew members.
2 developments
- StrongIsraeli assessment now sees Flydubai pilot as lone actor, i24 reports
- ConfirmedFlydubai co-pilot reportedly targeted Tel Aviv-bound flights months before attack, sought airlines flying to Israel
- StrongForeign reports claim Iran-Pakistan link in Flydubai hijacking attempt
- StrongItalian investigation reveals Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with emergency axe, shut down both engines over Saudi desert
Source and signal
- Open-source intake