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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that the co-pilot involved in Wednesday’s mid-air attack on a Flydubai flight had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination based on information from the suspect’s personal background. He described the attacker as clearly suicidal and said the combination of those factors offered investigators a strong indication of motive even as inquiries continued. Netanyahu added that Israeli authorities would determine within days whether the Omani national had any connections to Iran or accomplices according to reports from Reuters and The Jerusalem Post.
The assault took place aboard flight FZ1073 roughly two and a half hours after departure from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot stabbed Indian captain Smit Machchhar in the head and severely wounded his arm. The aircraft descended 17,000 feet in about two minutes before passengers used a headphone cord to restrain the attacker who then pleaded with the crew to kill him. A reserve crew on board managed to land the jet safely in Saudi Arabia a New York Post account detailed.
Netanyahu highlighted the co-pilot’s repeated cries of “kill me, kill me” after being subdued as further proof of his suicidal intent during the same Fox News interview. Two Israeli security officials cited by The Jerusalem Post said initial assessments pointed to the attacker acting alone although the probe was ongoing with Israeli involvement anticipated. The UAE authorities announced they would examine the full circumstances and any possible militant links an ABC News dispatch reported.
The prime minister greeted passengers including one hailed for heroic actions upon their arrival in Israel on Thursday and referenced a potential security lapse that allowed an Omani pilot to operate a flight into Israel. Netanyahu noted existing regulations bar pilots from nations lacking diplomatic ties with Israel such as Oman from such routes and indicated this aspect would be reviewed according to coverage by The Yeshiva World. Captain Machchhar has been praised across Indian outlets including India Today for retaining control of the aircraft despite his injuries.
The flight carried approximately 174 passengers and crew the majority of them Israelis and the swift response prevented what Netanyahu described as an attempt to down the plane. Al Jazeera placed the event against Netanyahu’s recent security warnings ahead of parliamentary elections later in the month. Defence Minister Israel Katz termed it an attempted jihadist terror attack in statements carried by the network.
Saudi investigators are questioning the co-pilot at present with prospects he may be handed over to UAE or Israeli officials for additional examination. Netanyahu cautioned in his interview that no definitive conclusions had been reached on external involvement or full motive. Multiple outlets including the Straits Times and Firstpost confirmed the ongoing nature of the multinational inquiry into the Wednesday incident.
