FlyDubai co-pilot was likely lone wolf, Israeli investigators believe
The FlyDubai alleged attempted hijacking was likely a lone wolf attack, an early investigation by Israel shows, according to people familiar with the matter.
Israeli investigators indicate the FlyDubai allegedly attempted hijacking was likely a lone-wolf incident, according to individuals familiar with the ongoing probe. The March 2024 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, en route to Israel, saw the co-pilot allegedly stab the captain and attempt to crash the aircraft. The pilot managed to unlock the cockpit door and, along with passengers, subdued the co-pilot before an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Two former pilots on board helped take control of the plane. The co-pilot is now in the UAE, undergoing a second round of questioning after initial interrogation by Saudi authorities. Israel has dispatched representatives to the UAE to assist in the investigation. President Trump suggested the co-pilot might be connected to Iran, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the motives remain unknown and the incident appears more like a suicide attempt.
Netanyahu reported that Israeli intelligence believes the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination, although he did not provide further details. The co-pilot, identified as Hamam al Hamami, previously worked for Oman Air, where he was discovered visiting radical websites and transferred to an office job. Al Hamami later resigned from Oman Air and worked in an administrative role.
Sources claim he posted a video of El Al Israeli Airlines planes in Dubai alongside a photo of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the deceased al Qaeda leader, before moving to Dubai and being hired by FlyDubai without proper vetting. Al Hamami is an Omani citizen with Syrian roots and lived most of his life outside Oman.
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