Hamam Al Hammami: Flydubai Terrorist Who Stabbed Pilot Spent Years in ISIS-Led Syria, Was Fired from Earlier Airlines Before His Failed Hijack Plot

The co-pilot accused of trying to hijack an Israel-bound flight was banned from flying over concerns about his extremist beliefs, amid revelations that he had spent time in ISIS-controlled Syria. Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, 29, attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an onboard crash axe.

Machchhar was left seriously injured as he tried to seize control of the Flydubai aircraft travelling to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Passengers and crew members fought with the co-pilot to prevent him from taking over the plane, which plunged 14,000 feet in 29 seconds. An off-duty British pilot on the flight is believed to have played a role in helping bring the situation under control.

Dangerous Motive

Al Hammami earlier joined Oman’s national carrier as a trainee in 2024 but was grounded over concerns that his time in Syria may have exposed him to radical influences, officials said. He was subsequently transferred to an administrative position at Oman Air.

He later joined UAE-based Flydubai, although questions remain over the extent of the airline’s background checks before hiring him.

A Gulf diplomat confirmed that Al Hammami underwent routine security screening, but the process reportedly concentrated on checking for criminal convictions rather than conducting a more detailed assessment of possible radicalisation risks.

Royal Air Maroc also confirmed that Al Hammami completed a three-month training program with the airline in 2025. However, his subsequent application for employment was turned down.

The United Arab Emirates, which is heading the investigation, is now examining whether the 29-year-old acted independently or had links to any extremist organization.

Al Hammami studied at a university in Britain and was born in the UAE. His mother is Syrian, while he acquired Omani citizenship through his father.

Al Hammami completed a three-year distance-learning programme at Buckinghamshire New University, graduating with a degree in aviation management in 2023. The university clarified that he had not received any pilot training at the institution.

According to the university’s website, its aviation management courses cover the operational, logistical, security and management aspects of the aviation industry. He is also understood to have studied engineering at a university in Australia.

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, according to state news agency WAM. He said the co-pilot had attacked the captain inside the cockpit with an emergency axe before attempting to seize control of the aircraft.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that the suspect had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash also condemned the incident on X, describing it as a “dangerous terrorist act”.

Checkered Past

Al Hammami was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE on Thursday and is understood to be cooperating with investigators. Flydubai Chief Executive Ghaith al Ghaith made his first public remarks on Friday, confirming that the aircraft diverted following a “safety incident” in the cockpit.

Crash axes are standard emergency equipment carried in aircraft cockpits. They can be used by crew members to break windows or access panels during emergencies and are generally kept out of passengers’ reach.

Footage recorded aboard Flight FZ1073 captured passengers screaming as the aircraft entered a sudden and unstable descent. The plane, carrying 182 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing.

During the incident, the aircraft transmitted the general emergency squawk code 7700 while turning back near the Saudi-UAE border. It also briefly broadcast code 7500, which indicates unlawful interference or a suspected hijacking.

Officials reportedly feared the attack could have developed into an incident resembling the September 11 attacks. Some described the passengers’ intervention, including restraining the alleged attacker, as preventing what they called an “Israeli 9/11”.

A person who listened to the crew’s emergency communication with air traffic control described how the aircraft was initially refused permission to land in Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually touching down in Tabuk, a city in the kingdom’s northwest.

The person, who requested anonymity, said the pilot sounded visibly distressed as he issued a “mayday” call, reporting an attempted hijacking and warning that ambulances would be required.

Saudi authorities initially refused landing clearance and instructed the aircraft to head towards Jordan, according to the account. However, the crew was subsequently told to await approval from the Jordanian military before being turned away.

With limited options remaining, the pilot returned to Saudi Arabia and informed air traffic control that he needed to land in Tabuk. Officials did not explain why the earlier landing requests had been rejected.