The United Arab Emirates authorities have said a Flydubai co-pilot who stabbed captain Smit Machchar in an attempt to crash a plane carrying 170 passengers wanted to carry out a terrorist act.
The UAE’s Federal Prosecutor, Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi, in a statement published by WAM News Agency, the official state-run news agency of the UAE on Saturday, said investigations confirmed that the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist attack.
“Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, Attorney-General of the UAE, said investigations into the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 revealed that the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act,” the report stated.
It added, “Al Shamsi said the co-pilot began executing his plan during the flight, attacking the captain inside the flight deck using a crash axe and attempting to take control of the aircraft.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said preliminary investigations established that the Flydubai co-pilot who stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane carrying about 170 passengers “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.”
The prime minister said investigations were ongoing to unravel the motive of the pilot who stabbed his captain and almost downed Flydubai’s flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Israel, which made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Details are emerging on the identity of the terrorist Flydubai co-pilot.
Mutiple reports citing sources familiar with the investigation identified the rogue co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami, an Oman citizen.
Mr Al-Hammani, 29, had first worked with Oman Air where he was sacked over extreme views and ideology, according to reports.
A check on LinkedIn confirmed he worked with Oman Air before joining Flydubai, which he attempted crashing its plane with over 170 passengers on Wednesday.