ABU DHABI: An Omani co-pilot on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv planned to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport’s passenger terminal in a suicide attack, the United Arab Emirates’ attorney-general said on Friday.
The 29-year-old suspect gave a detailed confession in the presence of his lawyer, admitting that he had planned and carried out the operation alone, Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said.
Prosecutors are continuing to verify his account and investigate whether others were involved.
The incident occurred on September 30 aboard flight FZ1073. The suspect allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit with an emergency axe, striking him on the head, Al Shamsi said.
A captain assigned to the return flight was also travelling on board and was near the cockpit when he noticed the door opening and closing repeatedly in an unusual manner. He entered using the access code and intervened with the help of a cabin crew member and several passengers, who restrained the suspect and helped rescue the injured captain.
The return-flight captain and his co-pilot then regained control of the aircraft, diverted it to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia and landed safely, the attorney-general said.
Investigators found that the suspect’s extremist views began developing in 2017 while he was studying in Australia.
He was influenced by extremist literature and online material glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks, and drew inspiration from the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, Al Shamsi said.
The suspect told investigators that he had prepared for the attack by increasing his exposure to material promoting terrorism and training in boxing with a private coach. He had also travelled to Tel Aviv twice before the incident to familiarise himself with the flight route and airport, the attorney-general said.
The suspect worked for Oman Air from 2020 to 2024 and joined Royal Air Maroc in early 2025, where he worked for several months, before moving to flydubai in January 2026.
The investigation found that he had met the airline’s professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot’s licence and providing a certificate of good conduct. The recruitment checks did not reveal indications of extremist views or an intention to carry out an attack, Al Shamsi said.
A forensic medical report found that the captain’s recent head injuries were consistent with an assault involving an emergency axe, according to the attorney-general. Investigators also took statements from the captain, the return-flight captain and co-pilot, and crew members.
The Public Prosecution is continuing to examine evidence, recordings and technical reports, and to investigate possible accomplices or other connections. Further findings will be announced as the investigation proceeds, Al Shamsi said.
2026-10-09 22:42:00
