Al-Hammami’s training was suspended for alleged extremist materials
Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national who was serving as a co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, told U.S. and Israeli sources that Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport was the likely target of his alleged hijacking attempt, CNN, ABC News and NPR reported Monday. UPI, which carried the report, said unnamed U.S. and Israeli sources described al-Hammami as having identified the airport to them. The investigation is in its early stages, and UPI reported it has not been made clear what al-Hammami’s intentions truly were.
The alleged attack occurred last week, according to UPI. Al-Hammami allegedly attacked the flight’s pilot, Smit Machchhar, with an axe in an attempt to commandeer the plane. He was stopped by the pilot and several passengers before he could take control of the aircraft.
The report that al-Hammami identified Ben Gurion as the target comes as investigators examine how he was assigned to the cockpit. According to UPI, al-Hammami had been flagged by Oman Air as a security risk, and his copilot training was suspended in 2024 after he was alleged to have possessed extremist materials. Investigators are examining how he was assigned to the flight despite those red flags.
The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation, with Israeli officials aiding. The investigation is also looking into how al-Hammami was able to evade security protocols to be assigned to the flight, UPI reported.
FlyDubai addressed the incident in a statement, saying, “We recognize that there are many questions at this stage; however, the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.”
The reporting places the investigation at an early stage, with multiple agencies involved. It has not been made clear what al-Hammami’s intentions truly were.