pilot planned to crash plane into airport, reports suggest

Key Points:

• The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted a terrorist act by attacking the captain with an emergency crash axe and planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport or a tower block, according to US and Israeli reports.
• The captain, passengers, and a second crew member overpowered the co-pilot, allowing the plane to be safely landed in Saudi Arabia; the co-pilot reportedly acted alone and had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination.
• Investigations revealed the co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, had previously been barred from flying by Oman Air due to extremist views and was later hired by flydubai without thorough background checks for radicalization.
• Questions have arisen about significant security lapses, including how the co-pilot was cleared to operate a flight to Israel despite aviation regulations prohibiting pilots from countries without formal diplomatic ties to Israel from flying such routes.
• UAE authorities shared passenger and crew lists with Israel before the flight, but Israeli Transport Minister stated that security oversight for foreign-operated flights to Israel is managed by intelligence agencies, not her ministry.