Israeli officials say the investigation of Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who tried to hijack a flydubai flight to Israel, indicates that he intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport and cause mass casualties.
According to the officials, al-Hammami began his attempt to seize control of the aircraft only after it reached Jordanian airspace because he intended to continue toward Israel as though the flight were making a normal landing at Ben Gurion Airport, then crash the plane into the airport.
CNN profile on terrorist hijacker Hamam al-Hammami
(Video: CNN)
If he was unable to reach Ben Gurion, investigators believe al-Hammami planned to crash the aircraft into a U.S. military base in Jordan.
The investigation also found that the Omani pilot had planned to carry out the attack as early as July but postponed it because of a personal connection with one of the crew members aboard his flight at the time, deciding to “spare him” and wait for another opportunity.
According to the findings so far, al-Hammami had previously landed in Israel in June and was preparing himself to become a “martyr.”
Al-Hammami’s plan to crash flydubai Flight FZ1023 was thwarted by the actions of Israeli passengers aboard the aircraft and the pilots who ultimately landed it safely, as well as the struggle put up by Indian captain Smit Machchhar.
Machchhar fought for his life and those of his passengers after being attacked in the cockpit. Investigators say al-Hammami had planned to strike the captain repeatedly with an emergency ax until he lost consciousness, then take control of the aircraft and crash it.
Channel 13 reported that al-Hammami told investigators he had deliberately sought employment with an airline that flew to Tel Aviv.
Terrorist hijacker Hamam al-Hammami
“I searched and checked which company flies to Tel Aviv, and that’s why I chose flydubai,” he was quoted as saying. “I tried to get accepted by all the airlines. I planned the operation even before I was hired by the company.”
Earlier Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced a review of the security arrangements governing foreign civil aviation to Israel, following scrutiny of security gaps exposed by the incident.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu instructed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra to “appoint an examiner to conduct a thorough review of all aspects of security for foreign civil aviation to Israel.”
It was not immediately clear how quickly the review would proceed or whether security gaps identified during the process would be addressed promptly.
The move effectively revisits recommendations made by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman in May 2024, when his office warned of shortcomings in oversight of foreign aircrews arriving in Israel.
The decision to order a comprehensive review follows years of warnings over gaps in the security of foreign aviation.
In May 2024, Englman published a report on the security of international civil aviation to and from Israel that identified serious shortcomings and gaps, including in security arrangements involving aircraft operated by foreign airlines.
One of the report’s central recommendations was for the National Security Council to lead a comprehensive review involving the Transportation Ministry, Finance Ministry, Israel Airports Authority, Shin Bet domestic security agency and police and formulate an updated overall aviation security policy.
An official close to Netanyahu rejected criticism of the decision to launch another review.
“It is healthy and legitimate that when an incident like this occurs and points to a gap in a particular area, the prime minister acts to have the deficiencies examined and corrected, with the aim of preventing such an incident from happening again,” the official said.
“You can’t have it both ways — point an accusing finger when something goes wrong and then point an accusing finger when action is taken to fix it.”
The review ordered by Netanyahu, however, will be an internal examination only, and the person appointed to lead it will not have investigative or enforcement powers.
Ben Ezra, who has been tasked with overseeing the new review, has until now been responsible for handling the issue through the National Security Council, without resolving the security gaps highlighted in previous assessments.