UAE Attorney General: The co-pilot of the Fly Dubai flight planned to target Ben Gurion Airport with a suicide operation

The Emirati Attorney General, Counselor Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, revealed on Friday that investigations into the Flydubai flight incident from Dubai to Tel Aviv revealed that the plane’s co-pilot, an Omani national, had attempted to “carry out a plan with a terrorist purpose prepared in advance,” aiming to take control of the plane and use it to carry out a suicide operation targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport. Counselor Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said, in a statement, that “the investigations initiated by the Public Prosecution regarding the incident of Flydubai flight No. (FZ1073), heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, revealed that the plane’s co-pilot, an Omani national, had attempted to “implement a plan with a terrorist purpose prepared in advance,” aiming to take control of the plane and use it to carry out a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Aviv, with the intention of causing as many human losses as possible.”

The Emirati Public Prosecutor explained that “investigations followed the intellectual and professional path of the accused, who is 29 years old, and it was found that signs of his tendency toward extremism and terrorism began in 2017, during his studies in Australia, where he was influenced by takfiri ideas through reading extremist literature and following electronic content that glorified terrorist organizations and suicide operations,” according to a statement published by the Emirati “WAM” news agency. Counselor Hamad Saif Al Shamsi added: “This influence developed into his adopting ideas that incite violence and terrorism, and was inspired by the attacks of September 11, 2001, and consolidated the idea of ​​carrying out a similar operation using an airplane, which, according to his confessions, was linked to his tendency towards a career in aviation.”

The UAE Attorney General added, “During his professional career, the accused moved between a number of airline companies in different countries. He worked for Oman Air from 2020 until 2024, then joined Royal Air Maroc in early 2025 and worked there for several months, before moving to Flydubai in January 2026.” Al-Shamsi explained, “The accused admitted that during his studies in the Australian city of Melbourne, he attended a mosque affiliated with the Royal Institute of Technology (RMIT), and got to know those in charge of the “My Center” center through his attendance at the mosque, indicating that the center was run by a Lebanese person called “Abu Hamza,” who, according to his statements, enjoyed the support of an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, and that he prepared psychologically and physically to implement his plan, by intensifying the pursuit of materials that incite terrorism, And training in boxing with a private trainer.”

According to WAM, investigations showed that the accused took advantage of his participation in two previous flights to Tel Aviv to explore the flight path and the airport, as part of his personal preparation for his terrorist plan, before he began implementing it during the third flight on September 30, 2026. The investigations also included an examination of the procedures for joining the accused with Flydubai, and it was found that he met the professional and security employment requirements, including a pilot’s license, a certificate of good conduct, and the necessary checks, without any indications appearing during those procedures that reveal his orientations. extremism or his intention to carry out a terrorist plan.

Counselor Hamad Saif Al Shamsi explained in the statement: “On the day of the incident, the accused surprised the pilot of the plane inside the cockpit and assaulted him with an emergency axe, while the captain resisted the assault and tried to call for help. On board the plane was the captain of the return flight, who happened to be near the cockpit at the time of the assault. He noticed its door repeatedly opening and closing in an unusual way, which aroused his suspicion, so he approached it and tried to enter using the secret code, until he was able to do so, and saw the accused assaulting the captain of the plane and immediately, he intervened with the help of a cabin crew member and a number of Of the passengers, they were able to rescue the injured pilot and control the accused, while the captain of the return flight and his assistant regained control of the plane, diverted its course, and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to what was reported by WAM.

According to the statement, the accused, in the presence of his lawyer and with all the legal guarantees assigned to him, made a detailed confession of his motives and the stages of planning and implementation, acknowledging that he acted alone without the participation of others, while investigations are still ongoing to verify this. The UAE Public Prosecution heard the statements of the pilot of the plane, the pilot of the return flight, his assistant, and the crew members, and the forensic report proved that the plane pilot’s injuries were concentrated in the head, which is a vital and fatal site, and that they were recent and contemporary with the incident, and resulted from an attack with a tool consistent in nature with an emergency axe, in accordance with the statements of the accused, the plane pilot, and the testimonies of witnesses.

The statement concluded by saying: “The Public Prosecution continues to examine the evidence, verify the presence of partners or other connections, and complete the recordings and technical reports, provided that it announces any new results as required by the interest of the investigation.”