FlyDubai Copilot Identified in Plot to Crash Plane Into Tel Aviv Airport

Prosecutors say his claim of inspiration from the 9/11 attacks has prompted urgent probes into his background, possible accomplices, airline vetting, foreign ties,

Overview

UAE prosecutors on Friday identified the copilot as Hammam Al‑Hammami and say he told investigators he planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport.
The incident occurred on flight FZ1073, which left Dubai on Sept. 30 and diverted for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the copilot attacked the commander and was restrained by crew and passengers.
Authorities say the commander was wounded during the struggle but the Boeing 737 landed safely in Tabuk and all 174 people aboard disembarked without a reported crash.
Investigators are probing whether Al‑Hammami acted alone, reviewing his prior removal from flying duties at Oman Air and his 2015–2017 period of study in Australia for any external links.
Israel has called for a full review of foreign crew access to flights to the country and the case is likely to prompt tighter vetting, new monitoring of pilot behavior, and renewed scrutiny of airline hiring practices.