Flydubai Co-pilot's 9/11 Inspiration Behind Hijack Attempt
WHO:
NY Post - Hamam al-Hammami is the co-pilot involved in the hijacking attempt.
CNN - Al-Hammami is identified as the alleged hijacker and is 29 years old.
WHAT:
NY Post - Al-Hammami planned to crash the Flydubai flight into an Israeli airport terminal.
CNN - The preliminary investigation revealed that Al-Hammami aimed to carry out a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.
CNN - The attack was intended to cause "the greatest possible number of casualties."
WHERE:
NY Post - The intended target of the hijacking was Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel.
CNN - The flight originated from Dubai and was en route to Tel Aviv.
WHY:
CNN - The United Arab Emirates’ attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated that the idea of carrying out a similar operation using an aircraft became firmly established in Al-Hammami's mind, which was connected to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.
CNN - Al-Hammami was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks, which led him to pursue a career in aviation.
CNN - The idea of carrying out a similar operation became firmly established in his mind, according to his confessions.
HOW:
NY Post - Al-Hammami used two previous flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport.
CNN - The hijacking attempt was thwarted by the actions of the captain and several passengers who restrained Al-Hammami and took back control of the airplane.
(UPDATED October 9, 2026 22:01 UTC)
The United Arab Emirates' attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, revealed that the concept of executing a similar operation with an aircraft became firmly rooted in Al-Hammami's mind. This idea was closely linked to his decision to pursue a career in aviation. The statement sheds light on the motivations behind Al-Hammami's choices and aspirations.
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(UPDATED October 9, 2026 20:01 UTC)
A 29-year-old man named Hamam al-Hammami has been identified as the co-pilot involved in a hijacking attempt on a Flydubai flight that was en route to Tel Aviv, with the intention of crashing it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport. The preliminary investigation revealed that al-Hammami was inspired by the September 11 attacks and had meticulously planned the operation, using previous flights to familiarize himself with the route and airport. Fortunately, the hijacking was thwarted by the captain and several passengers who managed to restrain al-Hammami and regain control of the aircraft.