Co-Pilot Trained in UK Accused of Attempting 9/11-Style Hijacking

An investigation into a co-pilot accused of attempting a 9/11-style hijacking has revealed a trail of extremist online posts and a confession that he wished to 'die a martyr.' Hamam al-Hammami, a co-pilot on a budget airline flight from Dubai to Israel, is suspected of attempting to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Tel Aviv.

Training and Radicalization

Al-Hammami, in his early twenties, had trained at a state-of-the-art pilot training center near Gatwick Airport in the UK, which was then owned by L3Harris Commercial Aviation and is now part of Acron Aviation. The center, opened in 2019 by Prince Charles, offers comprehensive pilot training programs. Al-Hammami also pursued studies in Australia and New Zealand, and a distance learning course in aviation with Buckinghamshire New University in the UK.

During his time studying engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2017, al-Hammami reportedly watched radical terror videos and read extremist literature. He also became involved with an Islamist preacher who espoused anti-Zionist views. Australian authorities are investigating his time in the country.

While studying with the British university, al-Hammami began to express his views online. Archived social media posts, now deleted from his Twitter account, showed him espousing a strict interpretation of Islam, seeking an arranged marriage with specific conditions for his bride, and expressing conservative views on women and mixed-gender workplaces. He also used language associated with the 'manosphere,' describing strong men as 'alpha' and making derogatory comments about women.

Reports suggest al-Hammami was barred from flying by Oman's national carrier, Oman Air, due to concerns about his increasingly extremist views. After a stint with Royal Air Maroc, he was hired by flydubai, the UAE-based budget airline.

The Hijacking Attempt

On September 30, al-Hammami was the co-pilot on a flight from Dubai to Israel. Approximately two-and-a-half hours into the journey, he allegedly used a crash axe to attack the pilot, Smit Machchhar. The Israeli authorities described the incident as an 'attempted jihadist terror attack,' with motives reportedly linked to revenge for Gaza.

Despite the attack, the pilot managed to open the cockpit door and call for help. Passengers on board, including several off-duty pilots, overwhelmed al-Hammami. The aircraft experienced a significant drop in altitude before being pulled out of its plunge. The plane eventually landed in Saudi Arabia, where al-Hammami was taken into custody.

Confession and Investigation

Interrogated in the UAE, al-Hammami reportedly provided a 'detailed confession' to prosecutors, stating his desire to 'die a martyr' and carry out an atrocity. The UAE attorney general indicated that al-Hammami had been intensifying his exposure to terrorism-promoting material and engaged in private boxing training prior to the incident.

Questions are being raised about the security lapses that allowed al-Hammami to operate flights to Israel, given that Oman does not have formal diplomatic relations with the country. Aviation regulations in Israel typically prohibit pilots from such nations from operating flights. The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding his training and employment, and whether earlier intervention could have prevented the incident.