Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned 9/11-Style Attack on Ben Gurion Airport, UAE Claims

The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv planned to crash the aircraft into a terminal at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in an attack inspired by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the United Arab Emirates attorney general has stated. The UAE's top prosecutor, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said in a statement that the attacker, identified as Hamam Al Hammami, 29, sought to cause the maximum number of casualties.

Al Hammami allegedly wounded the captain, Smit Machchhar, with a crash axe as he attempted to seize control of the plane. Passengers and crew members intervened, grappling with the Omani national to regain control of the aircraft, which experienced a rapid altitude drop of 14,000 feet in 29 seconds. Some passengers and crew have been praised for their bravery in preventing what is believed to have been a suicide mission. US and Israeli intelligence also believe the co-pilot intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport or a city skyscraper.

According to investigations revealed by Al Shamsi, Al Hammami had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and the airport. He reportedly confessed to acting alone and provided details of his planning and execution motives in the presence of his lawyer. Investigators also suggest he may have become radicalized in 2017 while attending the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia and studying at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK.

Investigators examined Flydubai's hiring processes and found that Al Hammami met all professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot's license and providing a certificate of good conduct. However, Al Shamsi noted that these procedures did not reveal his extremist views or intentions. Al Hammami reportedly told investigators he had prepared psychologically and physically by viewing extremist material and taking boxing lessons.

Prior to his employment with Flydubai, Al Hammami had a brief stint with Oman's national airline, where he was removed from flying duties due to concerns about radical influences and moved to an administrative role. He was hired by Flydubai in January 2026. A Gulf diplomat confirmed he underwent standard security checks focused on criminal convictions rather than deeper background checks for radicalization.

Al Hammami, born in the UAE with Syrian heritage and Omani nationality from his father, reportedly posted concerning content on social media while studying at Buckinghamshire New University, praising violence against women. The university stated he did not undertake pilot training there. His LinkedIn profile, now deleted, indicated previous employment with Royal Air Maroc. The airline confirmed he underwent training but his subsequent application was rejected.

Distressing footage showed Captain Machchhar bleeding on the floor as passengers attended to him, with one passenger heard saying, "You saved the plane." The flight carried 174 passengers, including four Americans. The Israeli government had reportedly prepared to intercept the aircraft to prevent a 9/11-style attack.

Following the incident, posts appeared on a LinkedIn account believed to be Al Hammami's, featuring cockpit videos of aircraft belonging to Israeli airlines and images of extremist leaders, including Ayman al-Zawahiri. Another post included an AI-generated image of Islamic holy sites. Buckinghamshire New University confirmed its license to sponsor international students had been suspended by the UK Home Office due to compliance issues, though the suspension was unrelated to the Flydubai incident.