Israel’s Near 9/11 May Not Have Been A Solo Plot

Two Maldivian pilots employed by Flydubai have reportedly been arrested in the United Arab Emirates as investigators expand their inquiry into a suspected terrorist plot by an Omani co-pilot to crash an Israel-bound passenger flight into Ben Gurion Airport.

The two men were taken into police custody on October 3, according to the Maldivian news outlet Adhadhu, which reported last Thursday that their families had since been notified of the detentions by the Maldivian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates. The outlet reported that the families initially received no information about the pilots’ whereabouts for several days.

The United Arab Emirates has not publicly disclosed what suspicions investigators have about the two pilots, nor have authorities announced charges against them.

According to Adhadhu, the two men were among six Maldivian pilots working for Flydubai and were the airline’s most recent recruits from the country. The outlet reported that they had interacted professionally with Hammam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot accused of attempting to seize control of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on September 30.

A separate report from the Standard Maldives said the men lived in the same residential building as al-Hammami. It remains unclear whether investigators suspect the pilots of having prior knowledge of the alleged attack, assisting in its preparation, or being detained as part of a broader examination of al-Hammami’s personal and professional relationships.

The reported arrests come days after investigators suspect al-Hammami attempted to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv.

According to the attorney general, al-Hammami admitted to planning a suicide attack intended to cause the greatest possible loss of life. Investigators said he had been influenced by extremist material beginning in 2017, while studying in Australia, and had drawn inspiration from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The UAE said he had prepared for the operation by studying the route and airport during two previous flights to Israel.

The attack unfolded aboard Flight FZ1073 as it traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. Al-Hammami allegedly attacked the Indian captain with an emergency axe in the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft.

Despite his injuries, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. Reserve pilots aboard the plane ultimately helped regain control, and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The flight was carrying 174 people, most of them Israeli passengers.

The incident has prompted investigations extending beyond the UAE, including inquiries into al-Hammami’s background in Australia and New Zealand. UAE investigators said his radicalization began while he was studying in Melbourne, where he reportedly encountered individuals associated with the Muslim Brotherhood at an Islamic center known as My Centre. 

The investigation is now examining whether anyone else had knowledge of the alleged attack or helped prepare for it, despite al-Hammami’s reported claim that he acted alone.

Neither the Maldivian government nor UAE authorities have publicly explained the precise basis for the two pilots’ reported detentions. 

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