Some additional information on the background of Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami has surfaced following the inquiry into the September 30 event involving Flight FZ1073 that flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv but had to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to CNN, social networking sites featured photographs of well-known al-Qaeda figures such as al-Qaeda former chief Ayman al-Zawahiri and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who perpetrated the suicide bombing at a CIA site in Afghanistan in 2009. This new development has shed light on the background of the co-pilot.
However, having such images does not necessarily mean that he was a member of al-Qaeda. Further investigation is needed to find out more about the origins of these social media postings and his possible connection to an ideology and whether or not this attack was organized and directed.
Flydubai FZ1073 Attack: Al-Qaeda-Linked Images in Social Media Posts
As per the CNN report, one such video found in the account associated with al-Hammami showed footage from the cockpit of a Boeing 737. The flight number along with the date could be seen on the display of the cockpit. There were other clips that allegedly showed the aircraft operated by the Israeli airline El Al. The video eventually revealed the photographs of al-Zawahiri and al-Balawi.
It is reported that al-Zawahiri took the leadership position of al-Qaeda after the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. Al-Balawi executed the 2009 suicide attack in a CIA base at Khost in Afghanistan, killing seven CIA employees along with two others.
There was another post that allegedly had an AI-generated image of the three most important places of Islam that include Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The poem alongside the image talked about refusing humiliation, having no fear of death and safeguarding dignity. The LinkedIn account where the posts have been found has been deleted now. It is reported that the posts were put up after the September 30 incident.
Flydubai FZ1073 Attack: Co-Pilot Had Earlier Been Removed From Flight Duties
Al-Hammami’s recruitment as a commercial pilot after concerns had reportedly been raised regarding his behavior and beliefs when he was serving in Oman Air is also under investigation.
According to the Associated Press, al-Hammami had been previously banned from flying by Oman due to extremist tendencies. Prior to that, it seems that he was transferred to a non-flying position before eventually moving to Flydubai.
As per The Indian Express, he was suspended from flying at Oman Air in 2024. In his LinkedIn profile, he mentioned that he had been working at Oman Air for some years before joining Royal Air Maroc and Flydubai. This profile has now been deleted.
The extent of the screening done before recruiting him as a pilot at Flydubai is yet to be found out.
Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has claimed that the suspect went through either Islamist radicalization or “Islamist radical indoctrination.” Nevertheless, according to various reports, Netanyahu failed to provide any public evidence in support of his claim. It is also being investigated whether the suspect had acted alone or if someone else may have directed him.
Flydubai FZ1073 Attack: Flight Plunged During Cockpit Assault
This happened on board a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that was carrying 182 people. After about two hours of flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, an emergency situation occurred. Flight tracking information indicated that the aircraft, which was flying at a height of about 34,000 feet, made an immediate descent of thousands of feet before ascending and again descending at a lower height.
Captain Smit Machchhar was injured during the cockpit attack. Despite being injured, he succeeded in opening the cockpit door, enabling other passengers and others to access the cockpit and restrain the co-pilot. A spare pilot who was a passenger on the aircraft then assisted in taking control of the plane.
Flight transponder on this particular flight was initially showing an emergency code 7700 but later on changed to code 7500, indicating the existence of unlawful interference before changing back to code 7700. The aircraft finally landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai FZ1073 Attack: Captain Smit Machchhar Recalls Ordeal
Captain Machchhar is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Abu Dhabi. In a video conversation with the prime minister of India, Captain Machchhar narrated what happened and the fight in the cockpit.
Captain Machchhar added that he understood that he must get up from the ground since the safety of the other passengers also depended on him. He broke down emotionally when describing the situation to the prime minister.
The UAE is currently heading the investigation into this case. The UAE government is investigating whether this incident has any terrorism motive, whether it was planned in advance and whether the attacker had any connection to any terror organization.
The investigation will also include an examination of the employment history, online presence and the background check conducted before allowing this man to be employed as a commercial pilot. This part of the investigation is still ongoing at this stage.
