Details of the Investigation
The esteemed Attorney General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, has announced significant developments in the investigation carried out by the Public Prosecution regarding the incident involving Fly Dubai Flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The inquiry has revealed that the co-pilot, a 29-year-old Omani national, initiated a premeditated plan with an intent to carry out a terrorist act aimed at seizing control of the aircraft and using it in a suicide mission targeting the passenger terminal of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, with the objective of inflicting maximum human casualties.
According to the Attorney General, the investigation meticulously followed the intellectual and professional trajectory of the accused, uncovering that signs of his radicalization commenced in 2017 during his studies in Australia. During this time, he was influenced by extremist ideologies through his engagement with radical literature and online content glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks. This influence gradually evolved into the adoption of violent and terrorist ideologies, drawing inspiration from the September 11, 2001 attacks, ultimately leading him to envision a similar operation using an aircraft, which he linked to his pursuit of a career in aviation.
Professional Background and Radicalization
Throughout his professional career, the accused transitioned between various airlines in different countries. He served with Oman Air from 2020 until 2024, followed by a brief tenure with Royal Air Maroc at the beginning of 2025, before joining Fly Dubai in January 2026. He admitted that during his time studying in Melbourne, he frequented a mosque associated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and became acquainted with individuals at a center called "My Center," managed by a Lebanese individual referred to as "Abu Hamza." According to his statements, this center received support from an organization linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. He mentally and physically prepared himself to execute his plan by intensively consuming materials that incite terrorism and training in boxing with a personal coach.
Investigations revealed that the suspect took advantage of his participation in two previous flights to Tel Aviv to scout the flight path and the airport as part of his personal preparations for the terrorist plot before attempting to execute it during the third flight on September 30, 2026. The inquiry also scrutinized the procedures surrounding his employment with Fly Dubai, confirming that he met the necessary professional and security requirements, including possessing a valid pilot's license and a certificate of good conduct, with no indications of extremist inclinations or intentions to carry out a terrorist act emerging during the vetting process.
On the day of the incident, the accused surprised the captain in the cockpit and attacked him with an emergency axe while the captain attempted to call for help. The first officer, who was coincidentally near the cockpit during the assault, noticed the unusual pattern of the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly, raising suspicions. He approached and attempted to enter using the access code, successfully gaining entry to find the accused assaulting the captain. Immediate action was taken with the assistance of a flight attendant and several passengers, who helped rescue the injured captain and subdue the attacker. The first officer and his assistant then regained control of the aircraft, rerouting it safely to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
The accused, in the presence of his attorney and with all legal guarantees provided, confessed in detail about his motivations and the phases of planning and execution, claiming that he acted alone without the involvement of others, although investigations continue to verify this claim. The Public Prosecution has also collected testimonies from the captain, the first officer, and crew members, while forensic reports confirmed that the captain sustained injuries concentrated in the head, a vital area, resulting from the assault with an object consistent with the emergency axe, corroborating the statements of the accused, the captain, and witness testimonies.
The Public Prosecution continues to examine the evidence and investigate the possibility of accomplices or further connections, as well as completing recordings and technical reports, with further updates to be disclosed as warranted by the interests of the investigation.
As reported by albayan.ae.
