Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have classified the assault on the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 as a terrorist act. The assailant, who attacked the commander on Wednesday, was previously banned from flying in Oman due to extremist views.
On Saturday, the UAE Attorney General revealed that the suspect attempted to take control of the aircraft, which was carrying 182 people, to execute a terrorist attack, as reported by The Guardian.
The attacker used an emergency axe, typically kept in the cockpit for unforeseen situations, during the incident.
Officials stated that the attack nearly led to the aircraft’s crash, resulting in a sudden descent. Passengers and crew promptly intervened to subdue the co-pilot and stabilize the plane.
Prior to the attack, the suspect worked for Oman’s national airline but was suspended from flying and reassigned to an administrative role due to concerns over his extremist views. He was later employed by Flydubai, and investigators are now looking into how thoroughly he was vetted at the time of his hiring.
According to a regional official familiar with the investigation, the suspect was born in the UAE to a Syrian mother. Security agencies from four countries are collaborating to understand the motives behind the attack.
A central question for investigators is how the man was assigned to this flight, given that Israel prohibits pilots from countries with which it does not have official diplomatic relations, such as Oman. Additionally, the co-pilot’s Instagram profile was deleted on the same day as the incident.
The UAE’s diplomatic advisor referred to the event as a “dangerous terrorist act,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the suspect had undergone “Islamist radicalization,” though he provided no evidence to support this assertion.
The captain, who sustained serious injuries during the assault, managed to unlock the cockpit door before losing consciousness, allowing passengers and crew to enter. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, and both pilots were later transported to the UAE.
