Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Tel Aviv airport: UAE prosecutor
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A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sept. 30. Reuters-Yonhap
DUBAI — The co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai jet last week had planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv’s international airport, the United Arab Emirates’ top prosecutor said on Friday.
The Omani co-pilot had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001 suicide attacks on the United States, and carried out his attempt “with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life”, according to the prosecutor’s findings published by state media.
“The findings showed that he had met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot’s licence, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks.”
Passengers described rushing the cockpit and a fight for control after the plane suddenly plunged by around 5,000 metres (17,000 feet).
The plane’s Indian captain was wounded when the co-pilot attacked him with an axe, but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The passengers on board the aircraft were overwhelmingly Israeli, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing them and the pilot for their bravery after the foiled attack.
He later ordered a “thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel” in response to the incident.
