Reuters confirmed a report by i24NEWS on Friday that Israeli officials are expected to interrogate the co-pilot suspected of attempting to hijack a Flydubai flight. A senior advisor to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed confirmed for the first time that the incident was a terrorist attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the wounded captain, saying 'the entire country is praying for you.'
i24NEWS reported Friday, with confirmation from Reuters, that Israeli authorities are expected to interrogate the Omani co-pilot suspected of attempting to hijack a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight. The suspect has been moved to the United Arab Emirates, a source confirmed to The Zioneer. A senior advisor to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed described the incident for the first time as a terrorist attack, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the injured captain, stating "the entire country is praying for you."
The Zioneer has been tracking the event since Wednesday evening, when initial reports indicated the co-pilot planned to seize control of the cockpit over Jordan and deliberately crash the aircraft into Israeli territory, intending to kill over 160 Israelis on board. The suspect was initially held by Saudi authorities, with Mossad Director Roman Gofman coordinating Israeli liaison. At 17:44 Jerusalem on Friday, a source told The Zioneer that the suspect is now in UAE custody and that Israeli authorities will conduct the questioning.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, the captain was stabbed by the co-pilot during the struggle but, with assistance from passengers, managed to regain control of the aircraft. Flight data analysis showed the plane dove over 18,400 feet in under two minutes before being stabilized. The multinational investigation is ongoing, with coordination among Israeli, Saudi, Emirati, and Indian officials. The suspect's motives and any potential affiliations remain under investigation, and no date for the Israeli interrogation has been announced.
7 developments
- StrongUAE cancels planned flights to Israel amid anger over Shin Bet security check demands — reports
- StrongIsrael has not yet responded officially to reports; forces on ground say they received no movement orders
- ConfirmedIsrael has not yet joined the strikes, source says
- StrongUAE has not acknowledged Netanyahu's meeting with Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi
Source and signal
- Open-source intake