As terror links to the Omani co-pilot who attempted to crash Dubai-Tel Aviv flight in a 9/11-style tragedy becomes evident, Al Qaeda has praised the hijacking attempt of Flydubai Flight FZ1073. Al Qaeda terror outfit also has publicly called for copycat attacks targeting American and Israeli aircraft, similar to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York.
The statement by Al Qaeda follows the September 30 cockpit assault on Indian Captain Smit Machchhar by the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, who attempted to seize control of the aircraft. As investigators probe the suspect’s background, extremist links, radical Islamist ideologies and suspicious social media activity, the incident has raised serious questions about aviation security and the potential reach of terrorist radicalisation.
Al Qaeda invokes 9/11, threatens fresh attacks on US and Israel & enemies of Islam
According to the reports, the threat appeared in the latest edition of al-Bayan, a weekly publication launched in July by the supporters of Al Qaeda. The Arabic-language publication referenced both the 9/11 attacks in the United States and the attempted takeover of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The article urged supporters to target aircraft carrying Americans, Israelis and others whom the publication described as enemies of Islam. It accompanied its message with an image depicting an aircraft crashing into the World Trade Centre towers, alongside another image referencing the recent Flydubai cockpit attack.
“The war isn’t over yet – planes carrying Zionists, Americans and all the other infidels fighting against Islam are still hovering in the skies and can be targeted, as happened on September 11th and 30th”, the publication stated. It further said that the United States and Israel had more enemies than before and declared that the “empire of evil America” would eventually end.
The material was circulated through Al Qaeda-linked Telegram channels on October 3, Saturday before apparently being removed. The development highlights how extremist networks can exploit high-profile security incidents to disseminate propaganda, glorify violence and encourage further attacks.
The UAE has taken the lead in investigating the case, with officials examining the suspect’s background, ideological motivations and links to extremist organisations. Israel & UAE has officially characterised the incident as terrorism, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the attacker had undergone Islamist radicalisation and intended to crash the aircraft.
Suspicious social media posts expose radicalisation of Omani pilot
The investigation has also drawn attention to a series of social media posts that appeared on accounts associated with the co-pilot al-Hammami hours after the cockpit incident, when he was already in custody. Posts appeared on his LinkedIn and Instagram accounts approximately nine hours after the attack. Both accounts were subsequently deleted and it remains unclear who uploaded the material or whether the posts had been scheduled by the terrorist pilot in advance.
One post featured cockpit footage showing nearby Israeli aircraft, with the video ending with an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former Al Qaeda leader who succeeded Osama bin Laden and was killed in a US drone strike in 2022.
The material also referenced Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, an Al Qaeda supporter responsible for a 2009 suicide bombing in Afghanistan that killed nine people, including seven American CIA officers and contractors. A separate post featured an AI-generated image depicting Islam’s three holiest sites—Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem—connected by a glowing trail.
Questions have also emerged about al-Hammami’s professional history. Sources have said that the co-pilot had previously been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns about his radical views. Reports indicate that he had worked for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai approximately eight months ago.
The cockpit attack itself began when al-Hammami assaulted Captain Machchhar with a crash axe after asking to pray. Machchhar later recounted the ordeal to Israel PM Netanyahu from his hospital bed, describing how repeated blows left his vision severely blurred as the aircraft rapidly descended.
Despite his injuries, the Indian pilot managed to reach the cockpit door and open it, enabling others to intervene and help bring the situation under control. The aircraft subsequently landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
