Flydubai co-pilot acted alone
Washington, DC – Agencies: Preliminary Israeli investigation results indicate that the Flydubai plane incident was likely carried out by a lone actor. Individuals familiar with the investigation told the US CBS network that the attempt to hijack the UAE aircraft, which was carrying Israeli passengers to Tel Aviv last Wednesday, was most likely a solo act. Two Israeli officials acquainted with the probe revealed that co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami told investigators he had planned the attack before being hired by the airline, as reported by Reuters yesterday. A third informed source stated that the suspect had planned to crash the plane, which was bound for Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. The investigation remains ongoing and comprehensive, with all hypotheses and possibilities being examined. The co-pilot is currently undergoing a second round of questioning in the UAE, after Saudi authorities initially interrogated him following the plane’s emergency landing. Israel has also dispatched representatives to the UAE to participate in the investigation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that Israel knows the co-pilot “underwent indoctrination and radicalization, based on personal information gathered during ongoing interrogations.” He provided no further details but added that the attacker “was suicidal” and that, after being subdued by crew members and passengers, he was shouting, “Kill me! Kill me!” Meanwhile, a joint counter-terrorism unit in Australia has opened an investigation into the co-pilot’s ties to the country. A spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said on Sunday that the Joint Counter Terrorism Team in Victoria, comprising federal police, state police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, is examining the man’s connections to Australia. This move follows new information revealing that the co-pilot had previously lived and studied in Melbourne. Two sources familiar with the investigation said he studied at a university in the city, while a third source reported he attended RMIT University about a decade ago. The university confirmed yesterday that the co-pilot was registered with the institution but was unable to complete his engineering studies, without disclosing his name or the period during which he studied. The Financial Times, citing two sources familiar with the probe, reported that during his time in Australia, the man frequented mosques described as extremist, visited radical websites, and noted that Australian intelligence agencies maintained a file on him.
