The flydubai first officer accused of stabbing the captain and attempting to seize control of an Israel-bound aircraft has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to sources. He had previously been barred from flying in Oman after authorities reportedly became concerned that he had been radicalized.
Al-Hammami, who was arrested following Wednesday’s terrifying in-flight attack, previously worked for Oman Air. Sources familiar with the case said the airline dismissed him after finding material described as promoting radical ideology on his cellphone.
Even after the ban, however, the Omani national was hired by Dubai-based flydubai and assigned to the sensitive route between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
It remained unclear whether Oman had alerted other governments or airlines to its concerns about al-Hammami’s alleged radicalization, The Wall Street Journal reported after first publishing his name.
During his training with Oman’s national carrier, al-Hammami was reportedly moved to a different position after concerns emerged that he held extremist views, CNN reported, citing a regional diplomatic source.
The suspect was born in the United Arab Emirates and spent several years there, according to the source cited by CNN. His father was Omani and his mother was Syrian.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that the attacker had undergone “Islamist radicalization” and intended “to crash the plane with all its passengers on board.”
“We are now investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Here’s the latest on the Israel-bound plane suspected terror attack:
Flydubai Flight 1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 182 people aboard, was allegedly attacked by the Omani co-pilot on Wednesday. The confrontation sent the aircraft plunging 18,000 feet in a terrifying nosedive.
Captain Smit Machchhar managed to fend off the attacker, while courageous passengers and off-duty pilots rushed to help and worked to regain control of the aircraft.
Aviation-security specialists described the mid-air assault as a major security breakdown.
Although a screening lapse may have allowed the weapon allegedly used by al-Hammami onto the plane, analysts told The Journal that warning signs should have been identified well before he reached the airport.
The co-pilot, whom Israel’s defense minister described Wednesday as part of “a jihadist terrorist attack,” had been employed by flydubai for less than a year.
A former crewmember who now works as an Emirates pilot told the publication that all flydubai pilots undergo security checks before beginning flight duties, as well as medical examinations at least annually.
Pilots moving from first officer to captain are also required to complete psychological assessments conducted in-house. It was not known whether al-Hammami had undergone the same evaluation, The Journal reported.
Airports in Israel and the UAE are known for imposing stringent security procedures. According to The Journal, Israeli airlines operating flights to Dubai face tighter security measures than carriers from other countries flying the same route.
An Israeli official said the country has repeatedly urged Dubai airport authorities to strengthen security procedures for flights bound for Tel Aviv.
Following the attack, flydubai suspended all flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv until further notice.
The Post contacted Oman Air and flydubai for comment.
