Flydubai co-pilot planned to target Tel Aviv skyscraper or Ben-Gurion Airport — report

Omani pilot Hamam al-Hammami, currently detained in the United Arab Emirates, allegedly plotted to intentionally crash Flight FZ1073, a Flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv, into Ben Gurion Airport, according to Israeli media sources based on his interrogation. The suspect, who had previously been barred from flying duties in Oman due to concerns over extremist views, is reported to have chosen Flydubai due to its route to Israel.

His plan involved incapacitating the Indian co-pilot, Smit Machchhar, before deliberately crashing the plane into the airport, with a secondary target of a skyscraper in Tel Aviv or a US military facility in Jordan, should he fail to reach Ben Gurion. The attack was intended to be carried out while the plane was over Jordan, delaying detection until it approached Israeli airspace.

Al-Hammami was planning to make this move while the aircraft was over Jordan, supposedly to avoid early detection. The plan was reportedly conceived prior to his joining Flydubai, with the suspect researching airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv before applying to the airline. After his arrest on September 30, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing the crew and passengers to restrain the co-pilot, who sustained serious injuries.

Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were passengers on the flight subsequently took control of the aircraft and safely landed it in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The incident has sparked investigations into the handling of al-Hammami's previous concerns about extremist views and the effectiveness of security measures surrounding foreign civilian aviation operations.

Israeli authorities have ordered a review of airport security protocols following the attack, while investigators in the UAE and other nations are exploring whether al-Hammami acted alone and if he had any ties to extremist organizations.