An Emirati official describes the Flydubai incident as a “dangerous terrorist act”

A senior official in the United Arab Emirates described the crisis witnessed by the Fly Dubai flight on Wednesday as a “dangerous act of terrorism,” as the suspect arrived in the country on Thursday, amid ongoing investigations into the incident.

The motive behind the accident that led to Indian pilot Smit Machhar being seriously injured has not yet been determined, following an attack by the co-pilot while the plane was descending from an altitude of more than 17,000 feet.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, wrote on the “X” platform, previously Twitter, on Friday: “The Indian pilot of Flydubai, Smit Machhar, deserves all the appreciation. In the face of a dangerous terrorist act and a potential disaster, he embodied the meaning of courage and responsibility. His professionalism and moral sense in the darkest circumstances make him a true hero.”

Gargash also warned against adopting conspiracy theories, while investigators seek to uncover the facts about what happened.

Gargash wrote: “Apart from easily reducing what happened or adopting and promoting conspiracy theories, vigilance and precaution remain necessary in the face of the dangers of extremism and terrorism.”

The Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported that the country's Attorney General opened, on Thursday, an investigation to determine whether the acts of violence that occurred on board the Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday were linked to "terrorist activity" or involved any "prior planning or direction."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the suspect had undergone a process of "extremist ideological indoctrination," although he did not describe the incident as a terrorist act.