A pilot suspected of attacking another pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight was found to have extremist views, leading to his removal from a previous job at Oman Air. Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen, was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother. His LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted, showed he worked at Oman Air for seven years before joining Royal Air Maroc and later Flydubai.
Al-Hammami's social media accounts, including LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter, were found to have posts and images that raised concerns about his radical views. His LinkedIn profile featured a series of clips filmed in the cockpits of a Boeing 737 Max aircraft, including one showing a plane belonging to Israeli airline El Al. The profile also included a photo of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of al Qaeda, and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said al-Hammami had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination." An Israeli official confirmed that al-Hammami had worked for Flydubai for only eight months. The incident has raised concerns about the importance of background checks in aviation hiring. Flydubai said it could not provide comment while the incident remained under investigation.
A CNN analysis of al-Hammami's deleted Twitter account showed him to be deeply religious and misogynistic. In deleted posts, he discussed the difficulties his mother faced in finding him a prospective wife who would accept his conditions. He also railed against mixed-gender workplaces, saying they had a corrupting effect on women.
The incident has sparked an investigation into how al-Hammami was permitted to serve as a pilot on a flight to Tel Aviv, despite Israel's stringent aviation security measures. Several Israeli agencies, including Shin Bet, Mossad, the military, and the Transportation Ministry, are investigating the incident. UAE authorities have jurisdiction to investigate the incident because the aircraft is registered in the country.
Netanyahu told CNN that the assailant had been interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where the plane was diverted, with Israel involved in the investigation. The UAE attorney general said al-Hammami attempted to carry out a "terrorist act" by attacking his colleague with a crash axe inside the cockpit and trying to take control of the plane.
Al-Hammami studied at Buckinghamshire New University in England, graduating with a degree in aviation management in 2023. The university confirmed that a man by that name had completed a three-year distance learning course. The incident has raised questions about how al-Hammami was able to obtain a job as a pilot despite his extremist views.
Key points
- The suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, had extremist views and was removed from a previous job at Oman Air due to concerns about his radical views.
- Al-Hammami's social media accounts showed a deep-seated hatred for Israel and a misogynistic outlook.
- The incident has sparked an investigation into aviation security and hiring practices.
