Stories
UAE Shared Flydubai Crew List With Israel Prior To Flight
- •Reports reveal that the UAE shared the Flydubai flight crew list with Israeli authorities prior to the journey.
- •The Omani co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, received clearance despite having a background linked to extremist websites.
- •Oman stated that al-Hammami was previously banned from working in its aviation sector due to security concerns.
- •The attacker attempted to crash the plane into a Tel Aviv skyscraper after attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar.
- •Israeli officials and security agencies have faced scrutiny over how the clearance was granted and the lack of warnings.
Key Questions Answered
The UAE shared the flight crew list with Israeli authorities ahead of the journey, and the co-pilot received clearance during that standard aviation process. Israeli officials admitted that no concerns were raised about anyone onboard.
Oman stated that the co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, was an Omani national born in the UAE with a Syrian-origin mother. Omani authorities had previously identified his interest in extremist websites and banned him from working in the aviation sector, leading him to leave the country.
The co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe inside the cockpit and intended to crash the plane into a Tel Aviv skyscraper. He had previously spent months collecting intelligence and planning the attack after visiting Ben Gurion Airport several times.
