Rescue expert warns FlyDubai hijacking attempt shows US, allies are ‘playing checkers’ against terror threat

Key Points:

• The attempted hijacking on FlyDubai flight FZ1073 highlights outdated U.S. and Western counterterrorism strategies facing increasingly sophisticated terrorist threats, according to Bryan Stern, a U.S. rescue expert and 9/11 first responder.
• Stern warns that terrorist groups are highly strategic and knowledgeable, likening their tactics to playing chess while U.S. efforts resemble playing checkers, often poorly executed.
• The incident involved the co-pilot stabbing the captain and attempting to hijack the plane, which carried mostly Israeli passengers; investigations are ongoing, including scrutiny of the co-pilot's connections to Australia.
• Stern emphasizes the complexity of modern terrorism, noting that ideological extremists may infiltrate using U.S. passports, making detection difficult, and stresses the need for updated intelligence and counterterrorism approaches.
• He predicts future attacks could surpass 9/11 in scale due to the ongoing "holy war" dynamic, warning that current global conflicts have escalated tensions that cannot be easily reversed.