Al-Qaeda Praises Attempted Hijacking of FlyDubai Flight FZ1073

Al-Qaeda has called for copycat attacks against U.S. and Israeli aircraft following a September 30 attempted hijacking of FlyDubai Flight FZ1073. In the 11th issue of the propaganda magazine Al-Bayan, the organization praised the attempt and stated that planes carrying Zionists and Americans remain targets.

Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national and co-pilot, allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a cockpit crash axe after requesting time to pray. The aircraft, carrying over 170 people mostly of Israeli nationality, plunged 18,000 feet as al-Hammami attempted to seize control to crash the plane in Israel. Captain Machchhar fought the attacker and opened the cockpit door, allowing off-duty pilots and passengers to restrain al-Hammami before the plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Investigations revealed that Oman Air had previously barred al-Hammami from flying due to extremist views, but FlyDubai hired him without a government background check. While UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi formally described the incident as a terrorist act, authorities are still determining if al-Hammami acted alone or had direct operational links to Al-Qaeda. The event has triggered a security crisis in Israel, leading to disputes between the Shin Bet and the Transportation Ministry over the vetting of foreign flight crews.