Flydubai co-pilot reportedly planned Israel attack in ‘revenge for Gaza,’ wanted to die a martyr

Israeli Shin Bet security officials have now joined UAE authorities in the Flydubai hijacking investigation.

By Ailin Vilches Arguello, The Algemeiner

New details from the interrogation of the Omani co-pilot accused of attempting to bring down a Flydubai flight to Israel have reportedly revealed that he had planned the terrorist attack as an act of revenge for the war in Gaza, with investigators now examining whether he acted alone or was directed by others.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami linked his alleged attempt to bring down Flydubai Flight FZ1073 en route to Tel Aviv to the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.

“I did it as revenge for Gaza. I wanted to die as a martyr,” the terrorist reportedly told investigators.

Last week, al-Hammami was transferred from Saudi Arabia to United Arab Emirates custody, where investigators are continuing to question him and examine the circumstances surrounding the attempted attack.

So far, UAE authorities have officially classified the incident as a “terrorist act” after the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.

However, no official conclusion has been issued linking Iran or any terrorist organization to the planning of the attack, leaving investigators to determine whether the co-pilot acted independently or with outside assistance.

However, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he personally thinks Iran was behind the attack.

“I do. I personally do,” Trump said when asked by a reporter whether he believes Iran was responsible.

Reuters reported this week that al-Hammami had allegedly planned the attack before he was hired by Flydubai and intended to crash the aircraft near Ben Gurion Airport, close to Tel Aviv.

He had also operated a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and allegedly intended to hijack and crash that aircraft as well but ultimately abandoned the plan, reportedly because he knew someone onboard.

Israeli Shin Bet security officials have now joined UAE authorities in the investigation, working to determine whether al-Hammami acted alone or was directed, recruited, or assisted by another individual or organization.

Saudi and UAE investigators are also examining the contents of al-Hammami’s phone, carefully combing through the device for information that could shed light on his background, intentions, contacts, and the planning of the alleged attack.

Local authorities have questioned the flight attendants who were aboard the Flydubai flight and ruled out any involvement by the crew, concluding that none of them assisted al-Hammami or were complicit in the attempted attack.

The probe has also expanded beyond the UAE, with Australian authorities looking into al-Hammami’s time as a student in Melbourne and investigators scrutinizing his employment history, including a previous ban from flying in Oman over concerns about his radicalization.

During the flight from Dubai to Israel, al-Hammami attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe before attempting to seize control of the aircraft, which was carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, the majority of them Israeli.

Despite being wounded, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the suspect and prevent him from taking control of the plane.

The plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where al-Hammami was detained before being transferred to UAE custody.

Shortly after the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said pilots from countries without diplomatic ties with Israel, including Oman, are not permitted to operate flights to the country and ordered a security review of foreign airlines flying to Israel.