The Omani co-pilot of the Flydubai flight targeted in the September 30 attempted hijacking told investigators he planned to hijack the aircraft and crash it at Ben Gurion Airport 'as revenge for Gaza,' according to The Zioneer. The statement provides the first on-record motive from the suspect, who remains in Saudi custody.
The Omani co-pilot of the Flydubai flight that was the target of an attempted hijacking on September 30 confessed in interrogation that he planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, saying he did so “as revenge for Gaza,” according to Israeli press reports.
The Zioneer first reported the confession on Sunday evening (20:01 Jerusalem) following a report by journalist Amit Segal (N12). That earlier account did not include the stated motive. Subsequent reports from additional sources, including the suspect himself, provided the revenge-for-Gaza context. The suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, had earlier been reported by The Zioneer to have expressed extremist views and to have been dismissed from prior airlines. The confession elaborates on previously known details: al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain over Jordan to avoid early interception, planning to strike the terminal in the final seconds of landing. The plot was foiled when the wounded Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to subdue the attacker.
As The Zioneer has extensively reported, the September 30 incident involved the captain being attacked with an emergency axe, both engines shutting down, and the aircraft diving rapidly before Israeli passengers intervened. The airline Flydubai has faced scrutiny for hiring al-Hammami without a background check from Omani authorities, despite red flags. The suspect remains in Saudi custody.
The exact timeline of the investigation and any potential legal proceedings against al-Hammami remain unclear. Israeli officials have characterized the event as a terrorist attack, and calls for extradition have been made but not acted upon.
4 developments
- ConfirmedFlydubai co-pilot reportedly targeted Tel Aviv-bound flights months before attack, sought airlines flying to Israel
- StrongFlydubai passengers tell New York Post: crew asked us to release terrorist co-pilot
- StrongThe Zioneer publishes photo of Hammami, accused of attempting to crash a plane into Israel
- DevelopingBen-Gvir: Israel Should Seek Extradition of Flydubai Co-Pilot
Source and signal
- Open-source intake