The UAE identified the FlyDubai co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami. He had been barred from flying in Oman over extremism concerns.
The United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general said Saturday that the co-pilot of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 attacked the plane’s captain with the cockpit’s emergency crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft in what authorities are treating as a terrorist attack. The co-pilot was identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, by a source with direct knowledge of the matter cited by Reuters; UAE authorities had not formally confirmed his identity as of Saturday.
Al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying by Oman’s national carrier over concerns he had adopted extremist views, according to a person familiar with the matter. He was later hired by FlyDubai, and it remains unclear to what extent he was vetted before joining the airline. A regional official said al-Hammami was born in the UAE to a Syrian mother. The attack occurred Wednesday as the flight, carrying 182 passengers and crew, approached Israeli airspace; Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was severely wounded but managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and off-duty crew to reach him, subdue al-Hammami and stabilize the aircraft before it landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Hammami was transferred from Saudi custody to Abu Dhabi on Oct. 1 after being medically cleared to travel, Saudi authorities said, with the UAE now leading the investigation into the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said separately that information gathered during questioning suggested al-Hammami had undergone what he described as Islamist radical indoctrination, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had earlier called the incident an attempted jihadist terror attack. Investigators continue examining the suspect’s background, possible motives and any connections, along with physical and digital evidence from the flight, UAE officials said. Machchhar was also moved to Abu Dhabi for continued medical treatment and has been described by Indian officials as out of danger.
This report is based on information from Reuters (via Irish Times and CNBC), CBS News and KSAT.