Reports identify the Flydubai co-pilot as Hamam Al-Hammami, who allegedly held radical views. He studied aviation in England and spent time in Syria. Oman previously barred him from flying due to security risks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radicalization," though he provided no evidence.
While Saudi's Al Arabiya identified the co-pilot as Hamam Al-Hammami, there is no official confirmation on the name yet. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has maintained radio silence on his identity, and the details about the co-pilot have not been independently verified by HT.
* Co-pilot identified as Hamam Al-Hammami: Al Arabiya, citing sources, identified the Omani co-pilot involved in the Flydubai incident as Hamam Al-Hammami.
* Studied aviation management in England: Al-Hammami's LinkedIn profile said he studied at Buckinghamshire New University in England, CNN reported. A university source confirmed to the news outlet that a man by that name completed a three-year distance-learning course and graduated with a degree in aviation management in 2023.
* Barred from flying in Oman: The co-pilot had previously been identified as a security risk and was barred from flying in Oman over concerns that he had adopted radical or extremist views, according to ABC News and The Wall Street Journal reports.
* Al-Qaeda-linked content on LinkedIn: Al-Hammami's LinkedIn profile had only two posts, both uploaded in quick succession on Wednesday, around nine hours after the incident, a CNN report said. One of the videos included images of former al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing that killed nine people, including seven US CIA officers and contractors. Al-Balawi was known to have pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, the report added.
* Spent time outside Oman: Another report in Al Arabiya said that the co-pilot spent most of his time outside Oman, particularly in Syria. ABC News and The Wall Street Journal also reported that he spent considerable time outside Oman, including in Syria, where he was allegedly exposed to extremist ideas before later travelling to the UAE.
* Left Oman Air, later hired by Flydubai: Despite the reported restrictions in Oman, the co-pilot was subsequently hired by the UAE-based airline, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. It is not immediately clear how extensively he was vetted when he was hired in the UAE.
* Claims of Islamist radicalisation: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radicalization". However, the Israeli PM did not provide evidence to support his assertion.
* Possible Iran link: US President Donald Trump told reporters that early information he had received suggested a link between the incident and Tehran, but did not elaborate.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with 180 people on board. About two hours into the flight, while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia at an altitude of around 33,000 to 34,000 feet, the co-pilot attacked and stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar.
