Flydubai co-pilot plotted ‘suicide’ attack on Israel, UAE says
UAE authorities have identified a Flydubai co-pilot as the suspect in a failed suicide attack plot targeting Israel. Investigators found the suspect acted alone and had no prior red flags in his professional security screenings.
Why it matters
Raises significant concerns regarding aviation security protocols and the difficulty of detecting radicalization in professional pilot recruitment.
Attorney General says suspect admitted he acted alone after preparing psychologically and physically for the attack.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Emirati investigators said they examined Flydubai's recruiting procedures and found the suspect had met all professional and security requirements [File: Ammar Awad/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff , AP and Reuters Published On 9 Oct 2026 9 Oct 2026 Authorities in the United Arab Emirates say the co-pilot who tried to seize control of a Flydubai aircraft on September 30 was on a “suicide” mission to crash the plane at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.
Emirati public prosecutors believe the plan “drew inspiration from the 9/11 attack”, Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi said in a statement carried by state news agency WAM on Friday, referring to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
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7 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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