As the interrogation of the flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami continues in the UAE, reports hint that the Omani has revealed the motive behind the decision to crash the aeroplane carrying over 170 Israelis.
According to Israeli media N12, al-Hammami admitted during the investigation that the motive for committing the terror act was Gaza. "I did it as revenge for Gaza; I wanted to die as a martyr," he told his interrogators, the report quoted al-Hammami’s statement.
He also had a backup plan to crash into the American base in Jordan, it was revealed.
Israeli intelligence, Shin Bet, is also interrogating the co-pilot in the UAE. According to its sources, the Omani pilot said he researched which airlines operated a route to Tel Aviv and ultimately chose Fly Dubai. "I tried to get accepted to all the companies. I planned the operation even before I was accepted to flydubai," he said, adding that he planned to crash into Ben Gurion Airport.
Meanwhile, al-Hammami was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a U.K.-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday. Police said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa.
"Police can confirm the co-pilot was in New Zealand to complete a portion of his flight training for a UK-based company, no longer operating in New Zealand," he added. The police are reviewing records and undertaking enquiries about the time he spent in New Zealand.
The report also quoted a Mossad representative, who claimed the co-pilot visited “enemy countries”. It is yet to be established whether al-Hammami had any links to Iran. However, US President Donald Trump, when asked on Monday if he thinks Iran was responsible for the flydubai plane incident, said he personally does.
