▲ A flydubai passenger plane
The co-pilot who attempted to hijack a flydubai passenger flight bound for Israel likely intended to attack Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel's core gateway, CNN reported on the 5th local time, citing Israeli sources including Israeli officials.
The sources stated that Israel continues to receive ongoing updates and information from the United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation into the incident, adding that the probe remains in its early stages.
On September 30, aboard a flydubai passenger flight traveling from Dubai, UAE, to Tel Aviv, Israel, Omani co-pilot Hamam Al-Hammami suddenly attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to take control of the cockpit. The attempt was foiled after he was subdued by crew members and passengers.
The suspect was initially arrested in Saudi Arabia, where the plane made an emergency landing, and has now been transferred to Abu Dhabi, UAE, for questioning.
Under international aviation law, jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed aboard aircraft is primarily granted to the country of aircraft registration.
Amid reports that Al-Hammami made statements amounting to a confession that he intentionally sought to crash the airliner, investigation efforts are currently concentrated on uncovering his detailed motives and whether there were any accomplices or masterminds.
Beyond the UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia—countries directly involved in the incident—investigative authorities from at least eight nations, including New Zealand and Australia where the suspect previously studied, have joined forces to piece together the puzzle, according to the British daily The Guardian.
Citing regional sources including those in Israel, The Guardian reported that investigators believe Al-Hammami originally planned to carry out a terror attack in July, but postponed the plot because a friend of his was working as a flight attendant on that flight.
Experts believe it is highly likely that Al-Hammami, who worked for Oman Air for about seven years in the past, sought employment at an airline operating routes to Israel specifically to carry out an aviation terror attack like this one.
He was reportedly removed from flight duties at Oman Air after his extremist leanings became an issue, and soon after left the company.
Subsequently, Al-Hammami passed through Morocco's Royal Air Maroc before securing employment at flydubai, which operates routes to and from Israel.
U.S. President Donald Trump strongly suspected that Iran was behind the attack.
Meeting with Fox News reporters at the White House on the 5th, when asked whether he thought Iran was behind the terrorist attack, President Trump replied that personally, he thinks so.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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