The UAE Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said that investigations revealed that the co-pilot of the “Flad Dubai” plane had begun to carry out a “terrorist operation,” noting that he began implementing his plan during the flight, as he assaulted the pilot of the plane inside the cockpit using an emergency axe, and tried to control the plane’s controls, according to what was reported by the official Emirates News Agency.
According to Al Shamsi, “investigations are still underway to uncover all the circumstances of the incident, its motives, and the connections associated with it, in addition to completing technical examinations and examining physical and digital evidence, with the final results being announced as soon as the necessary procedures are completed.”
The UAE authorities confirmed that they had begun investigating the incident, and that the Public Prosecutor had directed to “verify the extent of its connection to any terrorist activity or purpose or the existence of prior planning or direction for it.”
On Wednesday, the attack occurred on board the plane, which was carrying 172 passengers, including 166 Israelis, in addition to the crew members, on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot stabbed the Indian captain, who, despite his injury, was able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to control the attacker, according to Agence France-Presse.
Flight 1073 was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to international media reports, the Omani co-pilot was banned from flying in his country on suspicion of holding “extremist views,” noting that the Omani authorities prevented him from flying planes for security reasons, believing that he was “influenced by extremist Islamic groups” during a trip he took to Syria.
Reports indicated that the attacker, identified as Hammam Al-Hammami and born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, joined Fly Dubai after leaving his job at Oman Air and failing to get a job at Emirates Airlines.
Israel denounced “an attempted jihadist terrorist attack,” and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the co-pilot “had undergone a process of extremist Islamic ideological indoctrination... and he intended to shoot down the plane.”
While Anwar Gargash, advisor to the UAE president, described the attack as a “dangerous terrorist act.”
Meanwhile, Reuters quoted what it described as an informed source saying that Israeli officials are expected to interrogate the co-pilot.
After the Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot, he was transferred on Thursday to the Emirates, where Reuters quoted the source as saying that Israeli officials were expected to interrogate him.
An Israeli government official confirmed to Reuters that Israeli investigators, alongside the Emirati authorities, are participating in the UAE-led investigation in an effort to determine what happened and investigate the suspect’s motives and background.
In this context, Netanyahu warned that any party proven to be involved in the plane incident would pay a “very heavy price,” without providing evidence indicating any country’s responsibility.
He said, "As time passes, the picture becomes clearer: The attacker succumbed to the path of Islamic extremism, and came to destroy the plane with all its passengers."
Speaking about the co-pilot, he added, “We are investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump threatened Iran with a “very strong strike” if its involvement in the attack on the pilot of the Fly Dubai plane was confirmed, adding that he “likely believes this hypothesis.”
During a chat with reporters at the White House, Trump said he believes Iran is involved in the operation, explaining, “I say the answer is yes, based on what I hear, but we are working on this matter at this very moment.”
Meanwhile, the first plane carrying Israelis returning to their country from the Emirates landed in Tel Aviv early Saturday, after Flydubai temporarily suspended its flights to Israel, according to the website of the Israeli Airports Authority.
