"Concerns Over Radicalization" Despite Flying Ban... Co-Pilot Sat in Cockpit

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on October 2, citing sources, that the flydubai co-pilot who attempted to intentionally crash a passenger plane bound for Israel had previously been barred from flying in Oman due to concerns over radical ideological leanings.

Despite this restriction, he was subsequently hired by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) airline flydubai and was assigned to the UAE-Israel route, which is security-sensitive due to Middle East tensions and terrorist threats.

Aviation security experts evaluated this incident as a critical security failure.

They pointed out that not only did a weapon pass through security screening, but an individual with the intent to crash an aircraft should have been filtered out during background checks before arriving at the airport.

However, it has not been confirmed whether Omani authorities shared their concerns regarding the co-pilot's radicalization with other countries or airlines.

It is also unknown what specific type of radical ideology he subscribed to.

The investigation into the incident is currently being led by the UAE.

This is because, under international aviation law, jurisdiction over crimes committed on board an aircraft is primarily granted to the country of aircraft registration.

A UAE government spokesperson declined to comment on the co-pilot's previous flight ban in Oman, stating that they want to "avoid pre-empting or influencing the investigation results."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defined the attempted intentional plane crash as an act of terrorism, claiming, "The attacker underwent a process of Islamic radicalization," and "He tried to crash the plane with passengers on board."

Approximately 180 people were aboard the accident aircraft, a significant portion of whom were reported to be Israeli nationals.

(Photo: Captured from social media X, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.