TERROR PROBE DEEPENS: Flydubai Co-Pilot in UAE as Investigators Examine Whether Attack Was Planned or Directed
The investigation into the attempted downing of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 has entered a major new phase, with Saudi Arabia transferring the accused co-pilot to the United Arab Emirates and Emirati prosecutors formally examining whether the attack was connected to terrorism, planned in advance or carried out at the direction of others.
The development marks a significant expansion of the investigation into Wednesday’s extraordinary incident aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, in which the co-pilot allegedly attacked and seriously wounded Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit as the Boeing 737 MAX 8 plunged thousands of feet before passengers and crew members intervened.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has ordered the formation of a specialized team of public prosecutors to investigate the incident. The team has begun working with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies to collect evidence, establish exactly what happened aboard the aircraft and determine the attacker’s motive.
Crucially, investigators have been instructed to determine whether the incident was connected to any terrorist activity or intent and whether it involved prior planning or direction.
That opens several major lines of inquiry, including whether the co-pilot acted spontaneously, planned the attack himself before boarding the aircraft, or was encouraged, assisted or directed by another person or organization.
No outside organization or government has been publicly tied to the attack by investigators, and Emirati authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has now released its preliminary findings from the investigation conducted immediately after the aircraft made its emergency landing in Tabuk.
The Saudi Interior Ministry said its initial investigation, conducted with the participation of a UAE security team, determined that the co-pilot assaulted the captain, leaving both men injured. Saudi authorities did not announce a motive or conclude that the assault was an act of terrorism.
After both men received treatment in Saudi Arabia and were medically cleared to travel, the captain and accused co-pilot were transferred Thursday morning to Abu Dhabi accompanied by the Emirati security team.
The transfer places the suspected attacker directly in the hands of UAE authorities as they pursue the criminal investigation into the incident.
Israel is also seeking a role in determining what motivated the attack, with Israeli officials saying they intend to obtain as much information as possible about the co-pilot’s background and conduct before the flight.
Israeli officials have gone considerably further than Saudi and Emirati authorities in describing what they believe happened.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Thursday that information obtained about the co-pilot indicated that he had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.” Netanyahu also said the suspect appeared to have been suicidal and that the available evidence pointed toward an attempt to bring down the aircraft.
At the same time, Netanyahu acknowledged that investigators had not yet established whether the co-pilot was connected to Iran or another outside actor.
The co-pilot’s name has still not been publicly released. Israeli officials have identified him as an Omani national, while Flydubai and UAE authorities have not publicly released his identity.
According to passenger accounts and Israeli officials, the crisis began while FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning. The co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar inside the cockpit, seriously injuring him.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft suddenly losing a massive amount of altitude during the incident before eventually stabilizing. The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals while the confrontation was unfolding.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to help create an opportunity for others aboard the aircraft to intervene. Passengers rushed forward and subdued the co-pilot while additional qualified pilots traveling aboard the flight helped regain control of the aircraft.
Passenger Shota Musaev, a dentist who helped treat Machchhar after the attack, described encountering a horrifying scene when he reached the front of the aircraft.
“When I reached the area of the cockpit I saw a very, very seriously wounded pilot and the cockpit was full of blood,” Musaev said.
Footage subsequently released from inside the aircraft showed the accused co-pilot restrained on the cabin floor with his hands tied behind him as passengers and crew attempted to stabilize the situation.
The aircraft ultimately diverted to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Saudi authorities said 174 passengers and eight crew members were aboard.
The passengers were provided assistance in Saudi Arabia and later continued their journey aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft. The remaining crew members returned separately to Dubai, while Machchhar and the accused co-pilot remained behind for treatment and investigation before Thursday’s transfer to Abu Dhabi.
There was encouraging news regarding Machchhar’s condition following the transfer. India’s ambassador to the UAE visited the captain and his family at the hospital in Abu Dhabi and said the wounded pilot was recovering well.
“He was speaking openly, smiling and laughing, which was a great relief for us and, above all, for his family,” the ambassador said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Machchhar’s actions aboard the aircraft, crediting his courage despite suffering serious injuries with helping prevent a catastrophic loss of life.
Investigators are now confronting two closely connected questions: precisely what motivated the co-pilot to attack the captain and whether the incident exposed a broader breakdown in airline security or crew vetting.
Netanyahu’s claim that the suspect underwent Islamist radicalization has intensified scrutiny of how he was permitted to serve in the cockpit of an Israel-bound aircraft. Investigators are expected to examine his personal history, communications and activities leading up to the flight as they attempt to determine whether warning signs existed beforehand.
The possibility of Iranian involvement has also been raised publicly. President Donald Trump has suggested that Iran may have played a role, while Israeli officials have said the possibility is being examined.
As of now, however, no government involved in the investigation has publicly produced evidence establishing that Iran or any other outside actor directed the attack.
That distinction remains central as the investigation moves forward. Authorities are examining terrorism, advance planning and outside direction as possibilities, but none of those questions has yet been conclusively answered.
With the accused co-pilot now in Abu Dhabi, investigators have direct access to the man at the center of the case. The focus is increasingly shifting from what happened aboard FZ1073 — much of which is now documented through flight data, passenger accounts and video — to the far more consequential question of why it happened and whether anyone else knew about, encouraged or directed the attack.
{Matzav.com}
