Flydubai co-pilot ‘took boxing lessons and watched terror videos before hijack’
Flydubai co-pilot ‘took boxing lessons and watched terror videos before hijack’
Alexandra SnowFri, October 9, 2026 at 8:41 PM UTC
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Hamam al-Hammami is accused of attempting to down a Tel Aviv-bound jet
The co-pilot accused of hijacking a Flydubai flight took private boxing lessons and watched extreme terror videos to prepare for the attack, the UAE attorney general has said.
Hamam al-Hammami, 29, is accused of using an emergency axe to try to hijack an Israel-bound flight in an attempted terror attack. The attempt failed after passengers took control of the plane.
The co-pilot gave a “detailed confession” to UAE prosecutors, outlining his motives and how he planned the attempted hijacking.
Hamad Saif al Shamsi, the UAE attorney general, said the suspect allegedly prepared himself by “intensifying his exposure to material promoting terrorism and training in boxing under a private coach”.
Mr Hammami, an Omani national, began reading extremist literature and watching online content glorifying terror while studying in Australia in 2017, said prosecutors.
The suspect confessed that while studying in Melbourne, he became acquainted with people associated with an Islamic centre called MyCentre, which was managed by Samir Mohtadi, a preacher also known as Abu Hamza.
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Last year, Mr Mohtadi, whose family is of Lebanese descent and who grew up in Australia, described Zionists as “scavengers” and “bloodsuckers” and declared that Australia was waging a war against Islam, according to The Australian newspaper.
Mr Shamsi said that Mr Hammami admitted his decision to pursue an aviation career was linked to his desire to carry out an attack similar to those of 9/11.
After examining Flydubai’s recruiting procedures, Mr Shamsi said the suspect had met all professional and security requirements, including providing a certificate of good conduct.
“However, none of the procedures revealed any indications of his extremist views or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot,” he added.
Royal Air Maroc said Mr Hammami had undergone three months of training with the airline last year, but his application to work for them afterwards was rejected.
The investigation confirmed that the intended target of the foiled attack was Ben Gurion airport, Israel’s busiest international airport.
The attempted hijacking on Sept 30 fell during Sukkot, a seven-day Jewish autumn harvest festival that begins five days after Yom Kippur. The co-pilot is believed to have acted as a “lone-wolf” extremist, according to the UAE investigation.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
