Israeli sources said on Oct. 4 that Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai flight on Sept. 30, confessed in the UAE that he had planned to fly the plane directly into Ben Gurion International Airport.
The sources said he attacked the captain while the plane was over Jordan. He planned to fly normally until just before reaching the airport when Israeli warplanes could not intercept, then crash into the terminal. But the wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, foiling the plot.
Al-Hammami told interrogators he had planned the attack before joining flydubai, the sources said. He studied which airlines flew to Tel Aviv, tried to get hired, and was eventually taken on by the carrier.
Israeli sources also said on Oct. 4 that initial findings showed he acted alone. Security agencies launched a probe right after the incident, and it is still ongoing. Investigators believe it was a "lone wolf" attack.
On Sept. 30, flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv hit trouble mid-air. UAE sources said the co-pilot stabbed the captain in the cockpit, causing a sudden plunge. Crew and passengers subdued him, and the crew regained control. The plane diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
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