FlyDubai co-pilot was likely lone wolf, Israeli investigators believe

The FlyDubai alleged attempted hijacking was apt a lone-wolf attack, an aboriginal probe by Israel shows, according to radical acquainted with the matter.

The probe is inactive successful afloat plaything and each avenues are inactive being explored, the radical acquainted told CBS News. 

The formation Wednesday from Dubai to Tel Aviv was approaching Israel erstwhile the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the formation skipper and attempted to clang the aircraft, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, passengers connected committee the plane and the formation skipper person said. 

The skipper was capable to combat disconnected the co-pilot agelong capable to unlock the cockpit door. A radical of Israeli passengers and FlyDubai unit past overpowered the co-pilot, and 2 off-duty pilots who were connected the formation managed to summation power of the craft and marque an exigency landing successful Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The co-pilot is presently successful the United Arab Emirates, wherever helium is undergoing a 2nd circular of interrogation aft archetypal being questioned by Saudi authorities erstwhile the level made its exigency landing. Israel has sent its ain representatives to the UAE to enactment successful the investigation. 

President Trump suggested Thursday that the co-pilot whitethorn beryllium linked to Iran, "based connected what I'm hearing." 

"We're moving connected it close now," Mr. Trump said. "They're being precise unfastened with us. I would accidental the answer, based connected what I'm hearing, is yes. But we're moving connected it close now." 

Netanyahu told CBS News connected Wednesday that the co-pilot's motives are inactive unknown. 

"I don't deliberation it was a hijacking," Netanyahu told "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil, adding, "I deliberation it looks similar a termination attempt." 

Speaking to Fox News connected Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel knew the co-pilot "underwent Islamist extremist indoctrination," based connected "personal information" gathered during ongoing questioning. He did not connection immoderate further accusation connected the alleged indoctrination, but added to Fox that the attacker was "suicidal," and that aft helium was subdued by different unit members and passengers, helium shouted: "Kill me, termination me!"

The co-pilot of the formation has not yet been publically identified, though aggregate sources acquainted with the probe told CBS News connected Friday that his sanction is Hamam al Hamami. 

Al Hamami worked for a abbreviated clip for Oman Air, wherever helium entered caller aviator training. Surveillance by the Omani authorities discovered that helium was visiting extremist websites, the sources said. Oman Air past transferred him to an bureau job. 

One of the sources said the aviator resigned from his occupation astatine Oman Air aft being placed connected table duty. He near the hose astir 2024. 

At 1 point, sources said, al Hamami posted a video of El Al Israeli Airlines planes successful Dubai with a photograph astatine the extremity of the clip showing Ayman al-Zawahiri, a well-known al Qaeda person who was killed in a U.S. drone onslaught successful 2022.

Al Hamami moved to Dubai, and FlyDubai hired him without vetting him with the Omani government, the sources told CBS News.

Al Hamami is an Omani national but was not calved successful Oman, the sources said. He lived astir of his beingness extracurricular Oman, according to the sources, who disclosed that his parent is Syrian and his begetter is Omani. 

The Omani authorities has not publically confirmed his nationality.

The sources said it is imaginable helium had dual citizenship due to the fact that that could explicate however helium was allowed to alert to Israel. 

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• FlyDubai