Attempted Hijacking of Flydubai Jet

The captain of the Flydubai aircraft involved in Wednesday’s attempted hijacking has recounted a shocking incident where his co-pilot, just moments after asking to pray, struck him from behind with a crash axe. This revelation comes as investigations uncover the suspect’s troubling links to al-Qaeda and propaganda promoting attacks on flights with American and Israeli passengers.

Captain Smit Machchhar sustained serious injuries during the attempt while flying Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. In an interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Machchhar shared some of the details of that harrowing flight.

“It was a normal flight,” he reflected, mentioning that his co-pilot, 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, requested to pray. This didn’t seem out of the ordinary at that moment, so Machchhar faced forward to give him some privacy.

“Suddenly, after a few minutes, there was a massive blow to the back of my head,” he recalled. Initially, he believed there had been a heavy malfunction on board. However, as the blows continued, he quickly realized the threat was from Hammami, not the aircraft.

According to the UAE’s attorney general, Hammami had used the cockpit’s crash axe—meant for emergencies—to attack Machchhar in an attempted “terrorist attack” aimed at seizing control of the plane.

With his vision blurred and injuries mounting, Machchhar felt the plane start to dive. He tried to access the cockpit door but Hammami was blocking it, also preventing flight attendants from getting in. Amidst the chaos, hearing screams from passengers, he gathered the last of his strength for a decisive attempt.

“I had one last fight left in me,” he shared, explaining that if he didn’t act, it could be fatal. Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing cabin crew and passengers to rush in. A passenger, Yaniv Hayun, helped restrain Hammami, and after a swift struggle, the crew brought the severely damaged plane down safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

As investigators piece together the events, new details have emerged regarding Hammami’s links to al-Qaeda. Reports suggest that social media accounts associated with him contain disturbing content, including videos celebrating violence against perceived enemies of Islam.

One such video featured Israelis alongside footage of prominent al-Qaeda leaders. Remarkably, this footage was shared on his LinkedIn account mere hours after the attack, even as he was in custody. Meanwhile, further investigations uncovered more than 2,000 posts from a social media account linked to Hammami, promoting extremist ideologies.

This incident has sparked pro-al-Qaeda propaganda, with a publication openly celebrating the hijacking attempt and linking it to the September 11 attacks, indicating a continued call for violence against planes carrying Americans and Israelis.

In a concerning twist, despite the alarming discoveries regarding Hammami’s online activity, investigators have found no direct operational ties between him and al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups. The UAE authorities are continuing to probe his motivations and possible outside connections.

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash emphasized that this event demonstrates an ongoing threat from extremist ideologies, asserting that justifying such acts through hate speech remains a significant concern.

The situation raises substantial questions about how Hammami was cleared to operate commercial flights. Omani authorities had previously flagged him due to extremist affiliations, yet he was hired by Flydubai without a thorough background check. His prior airline, Oman Air, had barred him from flying duties for reportedly engaging with extremist content online.

Even after shifting to Flydubai, Hammami operated flights on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route several times before the attack occurred. Although Flydubai communicated the crew roster to Israeli authorities prior to the flight, Hammami’s name did not raise any alarms. Israeli officials have since called this a significant oversight, noting that Hammami had likely been planning this for a while without them having any prior information.

This has led to scrutiny about the vetting process for foreign pilots at Israeli airports, particularly as it pertains to individuals from potentially hostile nations. The confusion over the security responsibilities among various Israeli agencies has also come to light, complicating the issue further.

As of now, investigative teams have yet to directly question Hammami, who remains in UAE custody and has indicated he intended to crash the plane, potentially with all passengers onboard. Netanyahu has remarked on Hammami’s indoctrination and expressed a determination to uncover the extent of any conspiratorial planning behind the attack.

In the end, for Captain Machchhar, his life hinged on the moment he managed to get the cockpit door open. “You are a hero of Israel, you are a hero of India, and you are a hero of the entire world,” Netanyahu praised the captain during their recent conversation.