An Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam Alhamami, who attempted to crash a flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers, is reported by Hebrew media to have followed al-Qaeda ideology after undergoing a period of indoctrination. Emirati investigators currently consider the incident an "act of terrorism" carried out by the co-pilot acting alone, with no indications of a larger organizational plot.

An Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam Alhamami, who attempted to crash a flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers, is reported by Hebrew media to have followed al-Qaeda ideology after undergoing a period of indoctrination. Emirati investigators currently consider the incident an "act of terrorism" carried out by the co-pilot acting alone, with no indications of a larger organizational plot.

An Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam Alhamami, who attempted to crash a flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers, is reported by Hebrew media to have followed al-Qaeda ideology after undergoing a period of indoctrination. Emirati investigators currently consider the incident an "act of terrorism" carried out by the co-pilot acting alone, with no indications of a larger organizational plot.

The Omani co-pilot who attempted to crash a flydubai plane mostly carrying Israeli passengers was a follower of al-Qaeda’s ideology, mainstream Hebrew media reported. Multiple news sources had already claimed that the man was a religious extremist and was banned from flying in his native land.

The new report claimed that the Omani pilot became attached to the al-Qaeda ideology after going through a process of indoctrination. According to Israel's Channel 12, the co-pilot, who was remembered as someone who refused to shake hands with women and spent hours praying by his colleagues, had held meetings with several religious figures during the phase of his al-Qaeda embracement.

As things stand, the Emirati investigators believe that he plotted and executed the plane crash attempt on his own. There are no clues that hint the decision was an assignment passed down to him by any person or organisation, and the priority is to ensure no similar attempts happen ever again, Israeli media said.

Tel Aviv's personnel will soon get to question the accused, another report said. Sources familiar with the development, however, refused to reveal which wing of the country's investigative agencies will be travelling to the Middle East, the reports said. Since the crime took place on an aircraft owned by an Emirati carrier over Saudi airspace, the extradition of the accused to Israel remains unlikely. Either way, Israeli agencies have decided to approach the probe as if the aircraft actually crashed, Channel 12 reportedly said.

The co-pilot was transferred on Thursday to the UAE. Reuters said in a report that concerned authorities confirmed that Israeli agents will be allowed to question the co-pilot in the company of local investigators. The obvious focus areas are his motives, inspiration, and doubts regarding his background. However, the news agency added that the UAE Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to their query on whether Israeli officials would question the co-pilot.

The UAE state news agency reported on Thursday that the attempt to crash the flight was an “act of terrorism.”

Co-pilot's identity revealed?

Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal report identified the co-pilot as Hamam Alhamami, an Omani citizen born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother.

The allegations about Alhamami's previous employment and ideological background have emerged following the dramatic incident aboard the Tel Aviv-bound flight. Alhamami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit, causing the aircraft to descend approximately 16,000 feet in two minutes.

His attempt to hijack and crash the aircraft was thwarted when Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing other crew members to overpower Alhamami and regain control of the flight. The plane subsequently landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

TAGS