Exclusive | FlyDubai Attacker Had Been Banned From Flying by Oman for Radical Views - WSJ

The co-pilot involved in an attempted sabotage of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been identified as Hamam Alhammami. Reports indicate that Alhammami, an Omani citizen born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, had previously been barred from flying by his home country due to concerns regarding extremist views.

Alhammami had been employed as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024 when authorities discovered he was in possession of extremist materials. Following this discovery, he was deemed a security risk and prohibited from flight duties. While he was permitted to remain with the airline in an administrative capacity, he eventually left that position in February 2025 after a seven-year tenure.

Despite the flight ban imposed by Oman, Alhammami was subsequently hired by the Dubai-based airline flydubai. He had been with the carrier for approximately eight months at the time of the incident, which involved an attack on the flight’s captain, Smit Machchhar.

Investigations into the incident suggest that Alhammami had been influenced by extremist ideologies, reportedly during time spent in Syria. Further reports indicate that the co-pilot allegedly intended to crash the aircraft while it was in Israeli airspace.

The incident has raised questions regarding the vetting processes for flight crew members, particularly given that Alhammami was cleared to operate on a sensitive route connecting the United Arab Emirates and Israel despite his prior security record in Oman. Authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his employment and the security implications of the attempted sabotage.