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Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ABU DHABI — UAE authorities said Friday that an Omani co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 had planned to hijack the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack intended to cause mass casualties.
UAE Attorney-General Counsellor Dr. Hamad Al Shamsi said investigations revealed that the 29-year-old suspect had allegedly planned the attack for years, drawing inspiration from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.
According to the Public Prosecution, the suspect began carrying out his plan during Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30, when he attacked the aircraft's captain with an emergency axe inside the cockpit.
The captain resisted the assault and attempted to call for help before another pilot, a cabin crew member and several passengers intervened, restrained the suspect and rescued the injured captain.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Suspect allegedly planned attack for years
Al Shamsi said investigators traced the suspect's ideological background to 2017, when he was studying in Australia and allegedly began consuming extremist literature and online material glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks.
Investigators said the suspect later adopted extremist beliefs advocating violence and terrorism, with the September 11 attacks influencing his alleged ambition to carry out a similar operation using a passenger aircraft.
According to his confession, the suspect's decision to pursue a career in aviation was linked to his plans to carry out such an attack.
The Attorney-General said the suspect worked for several airlines before joining Flydubai in January 2026.
He was employed by Oman Air between 2020 and 2024 before joining Royal Air Maroc in early 2025, where he worked for several months.
While studying in Melbourne, the suspect said he regularly attended a mosque affiliated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), where he became acquainted with individuals associated with a center known as "My Centre."
He alleged that the center was managed by a Lebanese man known as "Abu Hamza" and received support from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The suspect also told investigators that he had prepared himself psychologically and physically by consuming extremist material and undergoing private boxing training.
Previous flights used to study target
Investigators said the suspect had flown to Tel Aviv twice before the September 30 incident to familiarize himself with the flight route and Ben Gurion Airport.
He allegedly began executing the plan during his third flight to the Israeli city.
The investigation also reviewed Flydubai's recruitment procedures and found that the suspect had met all professional and security requirements, including holding a valid pilot's license, submitting a certificate of good conduct and completing the necessary background checks.
Authorities said those procedures had not revealed indications of extremist beliefs or intentions to carry out an attack.
Cockpit struggle prevented attack
According to the Attorney-General, the suspect attacked the captain unexpectedly with an emergency axe inside the cockpit.
A pilot assigned to operate the return flight, who was also aboard the aircraft, noticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly and became suspicious.
He approached the cockpit, entered using the access code and discovered the suspect attacking the captain.
The pilot intervened with assistance from a cabin crew member and several passengers, who helped restrain the suspect and rescue the injured captain.
The return-flight captain and his co-pilot subsequently took control of the aircraft, diverted it from its original route and landed safely at Tabuk Airport.
A forensic medical examination found that the captain had sustained injuries to his head, a potentially fatal area. The injuries were consistent with an attack involving an emergency axe, according to the report.
Investigation into possible accomplices continues
The Attorney-General said the suspect provided a detailed confession in the presence of his lawyer and under the legally prescribed safeguards.
He reportedly admitted to planning and carrying out the attack alone, although investigators are continuing to examine whether others were involved.
The Public Prosecution has also obtained statements from the injured captain, the return-flight pilots and cabin crew members.
Authorities said they were continuing to review technical reports, recordings and other evidence to establish whether the suspect had accomplices or additional connections.
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