Australian police and intelligence services join the list of those investigating the incident. Published October 4, 20264 October 2026 Authorities have said they are investigating the links of the co-pilot of the Flydubai flight bound for Israel to Australia. co-pilot, accused of attacking the captain with an ax and attempting to take control of flight FZ1073 from Dubai as it approached Israel, and how he managed to get his seat in the plane’s cabin. He has been identified in media reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. He had been banned from flying in his own country over concerns that he had adopted “extremist” views, the Associated Press news agency cited sources. Al-Hammami allegedly spent part of his life in the United Arab Emirates, the Reuters news agency, citing sources briefed on the Australian investigation, reported that he studied at a university in the Australian city of Melbourne. A third anonymous source told the agency that he studied at RMIT University, a public research university in Melbourne, about a decade ago. The Financial Times also reported on al-Hammami’s links to Australia. Citing two sources familiar with the Australian investigation, the Financial Times said al-Hammami had allegedly visited what it described as “radical mosques and extremist websites” while in the country. Disaster was averted after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot and a reserve pilot took over his controls and completed an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. However, the case has raised questions about security in Israel, which has some of the strictest air security measures in the world. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi has called the attack an attempted “terrorist act.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel has long-standing agreements with foreign airlines aimed at preventing pilots who are nationals of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel from flying there. Netanyahu said a “loophole” appears to have allowed the Omani pilot to participate in the Flydubai flight, and that Israel would now tighten its controls. The United Arab Emirates has not yet publicly established a motive or announced whether investigators believe al-Hammami acted alone. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said Saturday that the latest “terrorist” attack is a fresh warning that the region’s fight against “extremism” is not over.
