Alleged Flydubai hijacker likely wanted to target Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, sources say

By Tal Shalev, CNN

(CNN) — The alleged hijacker of the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv likely wanted to target Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main international gateway, according to an Israeli official and an Israeli source familiar with the matter.

Hamam al-Hammami, the suspect in the hijacking attempt and co-pilot on board the flight, was stopped by the actions of the captain and several passengers who restrained him and wrested control of the airplane.

The official and the source said Israel is receiving updates from the Emiratis and that the investigation was still in its early stages. There are still questions about the suspect’s intentions, they added.

Israel’s Channel 12 News first reported that Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport may have been the target of the hijacking.

It’s unclear why al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, over Saudi airspace if his goal was to target an airport in Israel. When Israel detected an inbound commercial jet signaling a potential hijacking on September 30, authorities there scrambled Israeli fighter jets as a precaution – standard procedure for such an emergency scenario.

The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the attempted hijacking on board Flydubai’s FZ1073 to learn the motives behind the attack and understand how the suspect was able to get through the safeguards of two countries known for their strict security protocols.

Israel’s Tax Authority confirmed the names of all passengers and crew were in the hands of Israeli authorities before the flight had taken off, but it said questions about the vetting of crew members should be referred to the Ministry of Transport. Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, also referred CNN to the Ministry of Transport, which it said is “responsible for all security matters concerning foreign airlines.”

The Ministry of Transport said that its procedures do not include checking the names of flight crew members, although those names are submitted to the Israel Tax Authority, which collects them in case of requests by security services.

The ministry added that all flight crew members are required to have a travel visa to enter the country, and an Omani passport should have been flagged at check-in. But the ministry also said its “procedures do not address the threat from a pilot.”

Suspect likely acted alone

CNN reported on Sunday that the suspect probably acted alone, and Israel is so far not aware of a link to any terrorist organization that trained, funded, or organized the attack.

The attorney general of the UAE, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said the co-pilot on board the flight had attempted to seize control of the plane by attacking his colleague with a crash ax – a piece of equipment required on most aircraft. The attorney general called the attempted hijacking a “terrorist act.”

The suspect, al-Hammami, had been removed from his previous job at Oman’s national airline on the track to be a pilot following concerns about his extremist views, sources told CNN earlier. He was moved to a desk job at the company, one of the sources said.

Flydubai said it couldn’t comment on the matter while an investigation was underway. CNN has also reached out to Oman Air, the UAE Foreign Ministry and the Dubai government’s media office for comment.

Aviation experts have told CNN that when it comes to vetting pilots, the responsibility lies with local governments, airlines and security services. Experts said pilots’ licenses and security passes are handled at the national level, and the rules vary depending on the country.

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