From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 9, 2026
UAE confirms flydubai copilot was planning 9/11-style ‘suicide attack’ on Ben Gurion Airport
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An Omani flydubai copilot had planned to seize a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and crash it into a terminal at Ben Gurion Airport on September 30 in a suicide attack inspired by the September 11, 2001, attacks before he was thwarted by his fellow pilot and several passengers, the UAE attorney general says, according to the state news agency.
The UAE attorney general says the suspect used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to “familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport” before attempting to carry out his attack.
The suspect, named as Hamam al-Hammami, confessed to acting alone, the UAE says, but the attorney general says an investigation is still ongoing into possible accomplices.
The attorney general says the suspect worked for several airlines in different countries in the past, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining flydubai in January 2026.
Much of this was already reported by Israeli media, but today’s announcement marks the first time the UAE admits the copilot was intending to crash the plane into Israel’s main airport.
Shin Bet officials traveled to the UAE to take part in the interrogation of the pilot.
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