An unnamed Israeli security official told CBS Saturday evening that authorities are examining whether the terrorist involved in a recent incident attempted to carry out an attack modeled after the September 11, 2001 hijackings. The official did not name the terrorist or provide further details.
An Israeli security official told CBS on condition of anonymity Saturday evening that authorities are examining whether the terrorist involved in the recent Flydubai incident attempted to carry out an attack modeled after the September 11, 2001 hijackings. The official did not name the terrorist or provide further details.
The development comes as the investigation expanded throughout Saturday. At 12:12 Jerusalem, N12 reported that security officials were checking whether the attacker had visited Israel days before the incident. A source told Kol Yisrael (12:53) that the co-pilot had made multiple flights to Israel, including one days before the attempted attack. At 13:18, the Telegraph reported he had studied at a UK university. By 13:27, the co-pilot was identified by a source as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national. The Zioneer reported at 17:51 that al-Hammami had confessed during interrogations. International media later confirmed the investigation into whether he planned to crash the aircraft into Israeli territory (The Zioneer, 19:22).
The Zioneer has previously reported that Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the incident as a jihadist terror attack, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the perpetrator underwent Islamist radicalization, warning that those who sent him would pay a heavy price (Oct 2). The Mossad is leading the investigation. Flight data analysis showed the aircraft dove 18,400 feet in under two minutes, reaching over 1,000 km/h before Israeli passengers intervened.
It remains unclear whether the 9/11-style plot will be substantiated, and the investigation into potential external direction is ongoing.
10 developments
- ConfirmedOmani co-pilot planned to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport terminal, interrogation report says
- ConfirmedFlydubai co-pilot reportedly targeted Tel Aviv-bound flights months before attack, sought airlines flying to Israel
- DevelopingShin Bet representatives fly to UAE to participate in interrogation of Omani pilot
- StrongIsraeli assessment now sees Flydubai pilot as lone actor, i24 reports
Source and signal
- Open-source intake