Terrorist Planned to Crash Flydubai Flight into Ben Gurion Airport
Interrogation in the UAE reveals that terrorist Imam al-Hamami planned to crash a flydubai flight into Ben Gurion Airport. The Security Cabinet convenes as Israeli investigators join the probe into the thwarted aviation attack.
Terrorist Plot Targeted Ben Gurion Airport
Terrorist Imam al-Hamami planned to crash a plane into Ben Gurion Airport, according to his interrogation in the United Arab Emirates. Following reports by Amit Segal on Channel 12, this plan effectively ruled out the option of intercepting him mid-air. A struggle that broke out inside the aircraft disrupted his scheme and forced him to attempt a crash.
For this reason, the pilot initiated the attack near Jordan, aiming to prevent security forces from having too much time to neutralize him from the outside. According to Moriah Asraf on Channel 13, al-Hamami's interrogation reveals that he chose to work for flydubai specifically because of its flights to Israel.
Investigation and International Security Response
An Israeli investigator team arrived in the UAE to participate in the interrogation alongside security officials from other nations. Authorities are investigating suspicions that al-Hamami previously flew to Israel, while current assessments indicate he acted alone.
The Security Cabinet is scheduled to convene to receive briefings on the international arena and the attempted hijacking of the flydubai flight carrying 174 Israelis. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Office announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner for a thorough review of security aspects regarding foreign civil aviation to Israel.
"I checked which company flies to Tel Aviv. That is why I chose flydubai. I planned this even before I was accepted," al-Hamami stated during the interrogation.
Background and Aviation Security Questions
Authorities in Oman had previously suspended al-Hamami from flying in the country's airspace due to radical views and extremist statements. This revelation raised serious questions regarding how he was hired by flydubai and subsequently assigned to flights to Israel.
Concurrently, a central question in the investigation concerns how he managed to smuggle a knife onto the plane. Experts cited by The Wall Street Journal noted that Dubai International Airport is considered one of the strictest security facilities globally, prompting inquiries into how the weapon bypassed screening systems.
