UAE: A 29-year-old Omani national who worked as a co-pilot for flydubai is under investigation over an alleged attempt to seize control of flight FZ1073 and crash it into Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on September 30.
According to details released during the ongoing investigation by the UAE Public Prosecution, the suspect joined flydubai in January 2026. Authorities have not publicly disclosed his name.
Investigators allege that the co-pilot planned the incident to cause the greatest possible loss of life. Here is what has been reported about his background, alleged radicalisation and the investigation.
Who is the suspect?
The suspect is a 29-year-old Omani national who joined flydubai in January 2026. Before that, he worked for other airlines, including Oman Air from 2020 to 2024 and Royal Air Maroc for several months in early 2025.
According to the report, he met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot’s licence, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks. Investigators said those procedures did not reveal indications of extremist views or an intention to carry out an attack.
Investigators trace alleged radicalisation to 2017
Investigators believe the man began moving towards extremist ideology in 2017 while studying in Australia.
According to the investigation, he was influenced by takfiri ideology through extremist literature and online material glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks. The ideology involves declaring other Muslims or groups to be apostates or unbelievers.
Authorities allege that his views later developed into support for violence and terrorism. He reportedly drew inspiration from the September 11, 2001, attacks and wanted to carry out a similar operation.
According to his reported confession, this ambition was connected to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.
Studies in Australia and the UK
The suspect studied at RMIT University in Melbourne but did not complete an engineering qualification, according to a university statement cited in the report.
Investigators said he regularly attended a mosque affiliated with RMIT and became acquainted with people associated with a centre known as “My Centre”. He reportedly identified the centre’s manager as a Lebanese man known as “Abu Hamza” and alleged links to an association connected to the Muslim Brotherhood.
These claims form part of the reported investigation and have not been independently established in the article.
Australian media reported that the suspect received a student visa in 2015, which was cancelled in 2019 after checks found that he had left the country.
Buckinghamshire New University in the UK also confirmed that a student with the same name had completed a distance-learning course in aviation management. The university clarified that he had not undertaken pilot training there.
The Australian Federal Police said a joint counterterrorism task force involving the AFP, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation was investigating his links to Australia.
How did he allegedly prepare for the attack?
Investigators said the suspect claimed to have prepared psychologically and physically for the alleged plot. This reportedly included increasing his exposure to material promoting terrorism and undertaking boxing training with a private coach.
The September 30 flight was reportedly his third journey to Tel Aviv. According to his statement, he used two earlier flights to familiarise himself with the route and the airport as part of his preparations.
Did the suspect confess?
According to the UAE Public Prosecution, the suspect provided a detailed confession in the presence of his lawyer and with the legally prescribed safeguards in place.
The reported confession covered his alleged motives and the stages of planning and execution. Prosecutors also took statements from the aircraft’s captain, the pilot involved in the return flight, the co-pilot and other crew members.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing investigation.
Was he acting alone?
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he acted alone and that no one else was involved. Authorities are continuing to examine this claim and investigate whether accomplices or other connections may have played a role.
What happens next?
The UAE Public Prosecution is continuing to review evidence, recordings and technical reports linked to flight FZ1073. Investigators are also examining the possibility of wider connections and whether anyone else was involved.
Further findings are expected to be announced as the investigation progresses.
