RADICALIZATION RED FLAG: Flydubai Co-Pilot Who Allegedly Tried to Crash Israel-Bound Jet Was Previously Grounded Over Extremism Concerns
The Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 and attempting to send the Israel-bound aircraft crashing to the ground had previously been grounded by Oman Air after being identified as a potential security risk, according to new reports that are raising serious questions about how he was later cleared to fly for Flydubai.
According to officials cited in the new reporting, the man was working as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024 when extremist material was allegedly discovered in his possession. He was subsequently barred from flying for a year, although he was permitted to remain with the airline in an administrative capacity. Investigators are now examining how he later obtained a position with Flydubai and was ultimately assigned to a flight bound for Israel.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Omani authorities had concerns about the co-pilot’s ideological radicalization before Wednesday’s attack. It remains unclear whether those concerns were ever communicated to Flydubai, the United Arab Emirates or other countries and airlines. The precise nature of the earlier radicalization concerns has also not been publicly established.
The revelation is particularly significant because Israeli and Emirati authorities are investigating whether Wednesday’s attack was an act of terrorism and whether the co-pilot acted alone or received assistance or direction from another party. The UAE has established an investigative team to examine the circumstances and motive behind the incident, including whether it involved terrorist intent or advance planning.
A UAE spokesperson declined to discuss the co-pilot’s previous history in Oman, saying it was necessary “to avoid prejudging the outcome of the investigation or interfering with its course.” Flydubai and the Omani government did not respond to requests for comment on the reported earlier concerns.
The incident unfolded Wednesday aboard Flight FZ1073 as the aircraft traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 170 people aboard. The co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a sharp weapon inside the cockpit as the plane suddenly plunged thousands of feet over Saudi Arabia.
Despite suffering serious stab wounds, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit, allowing passengers and other crew members to enter and overpower the attacker. Passengers used improvised restraints to subdue him, while reserve pilots who were aboard the aircraft took control and eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar, an Indian national with 17 years of flying experience and 11 years as a captain, has since described his determination to save the passengers despite his injuries. The dramatic intervention by the captain, passengers and reserve pilots prevented what officials say could have become a catastrophic aviation disaster.
The co-pilot and Machchhar were subsequently transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE after receiving medical treatment. Authorities from several countries are involved in the investigation, with particular attention now focused on the co-pilot’s background, his previous employment and the security screening that allowed him into the cockpit of an Israel-bound aircraft.
Another question under investigation is how an Omani national came to be assigned to the Tel Aviv route. According to reporting on the investigation, security arrangements between Israel and the UAE generally prohibit crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel from serving aboard flights to Israel. Oman does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that investigators increasingly believe the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radicalization and intended to bring down the aircraft, while stressing that authorities were still trying to determine whether anyone had directed him.
“As time passes, the picture becomes clearer. Yaniv and his brave friends averted another 9/11,” Netanyahu said. “The attacker underwent Islamist radicalization; he came to crash the plane with everyone inside. We are investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price.”
Netanyahu’s latest comments represented a firmer assessment than he had given immediately after the attack, when he said it was still too early to determine the motive and suggested that the co-pilot’s actions initially appeared consistent with an attempt to crash the aircraft rather than a conventional hijacking. Israeli security officials have said their initial assessment is that the co-pilot may have acted alone, although that question remains under investigation.
President Trump has separately said that information reaching him had raised the possibility of Iranian involvement. Israeli officials, however, have said they have not found evidence establishing an Iranian connection, while emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing.
Flydubai has meanwhile suspended all flights to and from Israel until further notice at the request of authorities while the investigation proceeds. CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said the airline is assisting affected passengers and remains in coordination with government and aviation authorities.
{Matzav.com}
