The Flydubai co-pilot was banned from flying in Oman due to fears of his extremism

The American Wall Street Journal quoted informed sources as saying that the Flydubai co-pilot, who stabbed his captain and almost caused Flight 1073 to crash to the ground, had previously been banned from flying in the Sultanate of Oman, due to fears that he might embrace extremist ideological ideas.

The sources added that the pilot was hired by Fly Dubai, which allowed him to fly flights on the route linking the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

It was not clear whether Oman had shared its concerns about the pilot's extremism with other countries or airlines. There was also no information available about the nature of the ideas that led to him being described as an extremist.

The UAE authorities are leading the investigation into the incident. An Emirati government spokesman declined to comment on the attacker’s record in Oman, saying that it was not permissible to “anticipate the results of the investigation or influence its course.”

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the near-shooting down of the Flydubai plane on Wednesday as a terrorist act. He said that the attacker “came with the aim of shooting down the plane and everyone on it.”

Aviation security analysts said that the incident represented a major security failure. They added that while an error in screening procedures might have allowed a weapon to pass through, an attacker with such motives should have been discovered and arrested long before he arrived at the airport.

Netanyahu revealed that Israel is investigating whether the pilot carried out the attack alone or was working in coordination with other people.

The pilot and co-pilot are under investigation in the Emirates, after they were transferred there on Thursday from Tabuk, where the plane made an emergency landing. Israel hopes to be able to interrogate the attacker.

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv came close to disaster on Wednesday morning, when the attacker stabbed his captain.

People on board the plane said in interviews that the captain, who was severely injured, was able to open the cockpit door, allowing a group of passengers and crew members to control the attacker, while two reserve pilots who were on board the flight were able to regain control of the plane, stabilize it, and then land it safely.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar said that the Political and Defense Strategy Committee of the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” between his country, Saudi Arabia and Turkey will hold an emergency meeting in Riyadh, next week, to discuss the Houthi group’s attacks on the Kingdom.

Ishaq Dar added, in a press conference on Friday, that the committee will determine the next steps during the meeting, speaking about the desire of more than 6 countries to join the “Mecca Pact,” according to the Reuters news agency.

For its part, the Pakistani army said in a statement carried by the agency on Friday that its senior commanders strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and expressed their solidarity with the Kingdom and their commitment to the security of Islamic holy sites.

It is noteworthy that the “Mecca Agreement” signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, on August 7, included considering any attack on one of its parties as targeting all of them.

The joint military response is subject to evaluation by the members, especially the country under attack, after studying the extent of its need according to the nature of the attack, the level and seriousness of the threat, and the required participation of the parties, in order to achieve the desired integration.

On August 31, Istanbul hosted the first meeting of the political and defense strategic committee emanating from the “Mecca Agreement,” with the participation of the foreign and defense ministers and the chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

During the meeting, the three countries reaffirmed their determination to work together within the framework of the “Mecca Agreement” to achieve sustainable peace and stability in their region, and to continue supporting efforts aimed at reducing escalation and restraint, in a way that encourages the peaceful resolution of crises, based on their keenness to carry out their regional responsibilities.

The foreign ministers of the three countries held a meeting in New York on September 24, during which they reviewed the progress made regarding the establishment of the General Secretariat, the committees and working teams emanating from the agreement, and the preparations to begin their work.

The ministers also condemned the attacks that targeted Mecca, and civil and economic installations in the Kingdom, stressing Saudi Arabia’s right to take the measures it deems appropriate to defend its security in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

On September 25, the chiefs of staff of the three countries reviewed, during a meeting hosted by Riyadh, the security situation and attacks on Saudi Arabia, and condemned the attacks that targeted Mecca and the Kingdom’s civil and economic infrastructure.

The participants discussed ways to move forward in enhancing cooperation between the armed forces of the three countries, and developing intelligence cooperation, military coordination, and integration of capabilities, in a way that contributes to enhancing deterrence and collective defense.