UAE Public Prosecution reveals updates on investigation into Flydubai flight incident

The UAE Public Prosecutor, Advisor Dr. Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi, announced that investigations conducted by the Public Prosecution regarding the incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, revealed that the plane’s first officer, an Omani national, began executing a pre-planned plot with a terrorist objective aimed at seizing control of the aircraft and using it in a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, with the intent of causing maximum loss of life. This was reported by the UAE News Agency (WAM).

The UAE Public Prosecutor clarified that the investigations traced the suspect’s ideological and professional background, revealing that signs of his drift toward extremism and terrorism emerged in 2017 during his studies in Australia. There, he was influenced by takfiri ideas through reading extremist literature and following online content that glorified terrorist organizations and suicide operations.

This influence evolved into his adoption of ideas inciting violence and terrorism, drawing inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks, and solidifying his resolve to carry out a similar operation using an aircraft. According to his confessions, this was linked to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.

The prosecutor added that the suspect worked for several airlines in different countries throughout his professional career. He was employed by Oman Air from 2020 to 2024, then joined Royal Air Maroc in early 2025, working there for several months before joining Flydubai in January 2026.

The suspect admitted that during his studies in Melbourne, Australia, he frequented a mosque affiliated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Through his attendance at the mosque, he became acquainted with the managers of the “My Centre” center, which he stated was run by a Lebanese man named “Abu Hamza.” According to the suspect, the center received support from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He further stated that he prepared himself mentally and physically for his plot by intensifying his consumption of materials inciting terrorism and training in boxing under a private coach.

Investigations showed that the suspect exploited his participation in two previous flights to Tel Aviv to scout the flight route and the airport as part of his personal preparation for the terrorist plot, before proceeding to execute it during the third flight on September 30, 2026.

The investigations also examined the procedures for the suspect’s recruitment by Flydubai, revealing that he met all professional and security requirements, including his pilot’s license, certificate of good conduct, and necessary medical examinations. No indicators emerged during these procedures that would have revealed his extremist tendencies or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot.

On the day of the incident, the suspect ambushed the pilot inside the cockpit and attacked him with an emergency axe. The pilot resisted the attack and attempted to call for help. Also on board was the pilot of the return flight, who happened to be near the cockpit at the time of the attack. He noticed the cockpit door being opened and closed unusually repeatedly, which aroused his suspicion. He approached the door and attempted to enter using the access code. Once inside, he saw the suspect attacking the pilot. He immediately intervened, assisted by a flight attendant and several passengers, and managed to rescue the injured pilot and subdue the suspect. The return flight’s pilot and his co-pilot then regained control of the aircraft, diverted its course, and safely landed at Tabuk Airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The suspect, in the presence of his lawyer and with all legal guarantees provided to him, made a detailed confession regarding his motives and the stages of planning and execution. He admitted that he acted alone without the involvement of others, while investigations continue to verify this claim.

The Public Prosecution also heard the statements of the pilot, the return-flight captain and his co-pilot, and crew members. The forensic report confirmed that the captain’s injuries were concentrated on the head, a vital and lethal area, and that they were recent and contemporaneous with the incident, resulting from an assault with an instrument consistent in nature with the emergency axe, in line with the defendant’s statements, the captain’s account, and witness testimonies.

The Public Prosecution continues to examine the evidence and verify the existence of accomplices or other connections, and to complete the recordings and technical reports, announcing any new findings as required by the interests of the investigation.