Flydubai Pilot Assistant Planned Suicide Attack

Abu Dhabi (Agencies): The UAE Public Prosecutor, Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi, revealed new developments in the investigation into the incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The Public Prosecutor clarified that the investigation uncovered that the first officer, an Omani national, had initiated the execution of a pre-planned terrorist plot 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.

The Public Prosecutor stated that the investigation traced the suspect’s ideological and professional background. It emerged that signs of his drift toward extremism and terrorism began in 2017, during his studies in Australia, where he was influenced by takfiri ideas through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying 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 the idea of executing a similar operation using an aircraft—a goal he linked, according to his confessions, to his career choice in aviation.

He 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 there, he became acquainted with the staff at the “My Centre” center, which he claimed was run by a Lebanese man named “Abu Hamza” and was supported, according to his statements, by an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He stated that he prepared psychologically for his plot by following materials inciting terrorism, and physically by training in boxing under a private coach.

Investigations showed that after joining Flydubai, the suspect requested assignments on flights to Tel Aviv and exploited two previous flights to scout the flight path, the airport, and prepare for his plot before carrying it out on September 30, 2026. The investigation also examined the procedures for the suspect’s recruitment by Flydubai, confirming that he met all professional and security requirements, including his pilot’s license, certificate of good conduct, and necessary medical examinations. However, the documents and procedures reviewed did not reveal any indicators of his extremist leanings or his terrorist plot.

The Public Prosecutor explained that on the day of the incident, the suspect ambushed the captain inside the cockpit and attacked him with an emergency axe. The captain resisted the assault and attempted to raise an alarm. Meanwhile, the captain of the return flight, who happened to be near the cockpit, noticed the door being opened and closed repeatedly, which aroused his suspicion. He approached the cockpit and attempted to enter using the security code, eventually succeeding, where he saw the suspect attacking the captain. With the help of a cabin crew member and several passengers, they managed to rescue the injured captain and subdue the suspect. The return flight’s captain and his first officer then regained control of the aircraft, diverted its course, and safely landed at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.