Islamabad, 5 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Investigations are continuing into the background and alleged radicalisation of 29-year-old Omani national Hammam Al-Hammami, who is accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. Authorities are examining when, where and through which channels the co-pilot may have developed extremist views, with Syria, Australia and his online activities emerging as possible areas of investigation. Al-Hammami previously joined Oman Air’s cadet pilot programme and began flying as a co-pilot in 2022. In 2024, Omani authorities reportedly raised concerns over his extremist views and possession of radical material, following which he was removed from flying duties and assigned administrative responsibilities. A Wall Street Journal report said he was also enrolled in a programme intended to help him move away from extremist ideology. Investigators are now examining how, despite these concerns, he later obtained access to the cockpit of a Flydubai aircraft.
Reports indicate that after Oman Air, Al-Hammami briefly trained with Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai. Australia has also emerged as a significant part of the investigation, as he reportedly arrived there as a student in 2015 and studied engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne before leaving the country in 2017 without completing the course. Australian Federal Police, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Victoria Police are examining his contacts and activities during his stay in Australia. Buckinghamshire New University in Britain has also confirmed that Al-Hammami completed a distance-learning course related to aviation management, although he did not receive pilot training there. Investigators are also examining deleted social media accounts allegedly linked to him. According to CNN, accounts attributed to Al-Hammami contained images of former Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, a militant who carried out a suicide attack in Afghanistan in 2009, and videos from the cockpit of a Boeing 737 MAX. Some older posts also reportedly expressed highly restrictive views about women working and his wife wearing a veil. However, the material does not by itself establish that he was a member of any organised terrorist group. His reported time in Syria is also being examined as a possible factor in his ideological development, while his stay in Australia and online activities are being considered as other potential influences. Investigators have so far found no reliable evidence linking him to a major terrorist organisation or foreign state and are examining whether he acted alone or received assistance or instructions from an extremist network. Initial Israeli investigations have also considered him a possible lone actor, although the inquiry remains ongoing.
On September 30, Al-Hammami allegedly attacked the pilot in the cockpit with a sharp object and attempted to seize control of Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying more than 170 passengers, most of them Israeli nationals travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During the struggle, the aircraft suddenly lost several thousand feet of altitude, raising fears that it could crash. Despite suffering serious injuries, the pilot managed to open the cockpit door, after which passengers and crew members overpowered Al-Hammami. The aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the injured pilot received medical treatment and the alleged attacker was taken into custody. The United Arab Emirates has described the incident as a terrorist attack. Investigators are also examining why information about the alleged security concerns previously raised in Oman was apparently not effectively shared between countries and aviation companies, allowing Al-Hammami to regain access to a passenger aircraft cockpit.