Flydubai attack: Al-Qaida calls for copycat attacks after hijack bid
Al-Qaida has issued a call for copycat attacks against planes carrying Americans and Israelis, referencing a recent cockpit incident on a FlyDubai flight. Authorities are investigating the attacker's potential extremist links as security concerns regarding aviation safety rise.
Why it matters
Highlights ongoing global security threats and the use of extremist propaganda to incite violence in the aviation sector.
Al-Qaida has called for copycat attacks targetting Americans and Israelis on planes, while referencing the September 30 cockpit attack on Captain Smit Machchhar by his FlyDubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, and the 911 terror attacks.The warning appeared in the latest edition of al-Bayan, a weekly publication launched in July by pro-al-Qaida supporters, and referenced both the September 11, 2001, attacks and Wednesday's attempted takeover of flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The publication called on attacks on planes carrying Americans, Israelis and others it described as fighting Islam.The development came as investigators examine the background and possible terror links of al-Hammami, who is in UAE custody.
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