Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Israeli airport, UAE prosecutors say
- A flydubai co-pilot attempted to seize control of a passenger jet flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, intending to launch a suicide attack on Israel’s international airport, prosecutors...
- Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the attorney-general of the UAE, announced that al-Hammami had admitted to executing a premeditated terrorist plot.
- During the flight, al-Hammami struck the pilot with an emergency axe.
A flydubai co-pilot attempted to seize control of a passenger jet flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, intending to launch a suicide attack on Israel’s international airport, prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates stated. Hammam al-Hammami, 29, attacked the flight’s Indian pilot with an emergency axe before passengers and an off-duty relief pilot intervened to safely land the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Hammami Admitted to Plotting Ben Gurion Airport Attack
Dr. Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the attorney-general of the UAE, announced that al-Hammami had admitted to executing a premeditated terrorist plot. According to his confession, the suspect targeted the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv to cause maximum casualties. Investigators from the United Arab Emirates determined that al-Hammami used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and airport layout, the state news agency WAM reported.
During the flight, al-Hammami struck the pilot with an emergency axe. Despite severe injuries, the pilot managed to open the cockpit security door, enabling roughly 180 passengers on board—overwhelmingly Israeli citizens—to overpower the attacker. An off-duty relief pilot among the passengers subsequently took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia.
In the presence of his lawyer and with all legally prescribed safeguards ensured, the suspect provided a detailed confession outlining his motives and the stages of planning and execution. He admitted that he had acted alone, without the involvement of others, although investigations are continuing to verify this claim.
Dr. Hamad Saif al-Shamsi
Al-Hammami Radicalized While Studying in Australia
United Arab Emirates prosecutors stated that al-Hammami began radicalizing while studying in Australia, where he absorbed hardline takfiri ideology through extremist literature and online content that glorified terrorist organizations and suicide attacks. Al-Hammami spent about two years as a student in Australia until 2017, leaving without completing his engineering degree. Security agencies in Australia launched an investigation into his residency over the weekend following the disclosure.
New Zealand authorities also initiated an inquiry after police confirmed that al-Hammami underwent flight training in the country roughly a year after abandoning his Australian studies. His aviation career subsequently spanned multiple carriers. He earned a distance-learning aviation management degree from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023, flew for Oman Air between 2020 and 2024, worked for Royal Air Maroc for several months in early 2025, and joined flydubai in January 2026.
The Continuing Investigation
Security officials have examined whether al-Hammami acted independently or maintained ties with militant groups such as al-Qaida or the Islamic State. Emirati authorities maintain that he operated alone, though cross-border inquiries involving Australian and New Zealand authorities remain active to verify his background and flight training history. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly commended the passengers and the pilot for their bravery following the foiled attack.