UAE Prosecutor Says Flydubai Copilot Planned Suicide Attack on Ben Gurion Terminal
The UAE's attorney general says the intended target was the passenger terminal. Prosecutors are still examining evidence and possible accomplices.
The Omani copilot accused of attacking the captain of flydubai Flight FZ1073 intended to seize the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on 9 October 2026. The Dubai to Tel Aviv flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the attack on 30 September.
Reuters identified the suspect as Hamam al-Hammami. He is accused in an ongoing investigation, not convicted; the statement announced further evidence gathering rather than a trial date or final charge sheet.
Prosecutor describes advance planning
Al Shamsi's statement, distributed by the Emirates News Agency, WAM, and reproduced by Al Ittihad, described a premeditated plot with a “terrorist purpose.” It alleged that the intended crash was designed to cause the greatest possible loss of life at the terminal.
According to the prosecutor, investigators traced the 29 year old suspect's extremist thinking to his time studying in Australia in 2017. The statement said he had drawn inspiration from the 11 September 2001 attacks and connected that ambition with his decision to enter aviation.
The investigation also alleges that he used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and airport before attempting the attack on his third flight there. Those findings remain the prosecution's account of his preparation and motive.
How control of the aircraft was recovered
The prosecutor said the suspect struck the captain with the emergency axe inside the cockpit. A pilot due to command the return flight noticed unusual opening and closing of the cockpit door, entered using the access code and saw the assault.
According to the statement, that pilot intervened with a cabin crew member and passengers, helping rescue the injured captain and restrain the suspect. The return flight pilot and his copilot then regained control and landed safely in Tabuk.
Prosecutors said they had interviewed pilots and crew. A forensic report recorded head injuries consistent with an assault using an implement of the same kind as the emergency axe, supporting the accounts given by the captain, suspect and witnesses.
Hiring checks and the next investigative steps
The statement said the suspect joined flydubai in January 2026 after working for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc. Investigators found that he had met professional and security hiring requirements, including licensing, a good conduct certificate and required examinations, without those checks revealing the alleged plan.
Al Shamsi said the suspect gave a detailed confession in the presence of his lawyer and claimed to have acted alone. Prosecutors are still checking that claim, looking for possible accomplices or links and completing their examination of recordings and technical reports.
The official update therefore identifies a specific alleged target and a preparation timeline while leaving the criminal process open. Further findings will be announced as the investigation permits, the statement said.
