iscover
An Omani pilot who attempted to commit a ‘September 11 style’ hijacking attack in the Middle East was ‘influenced by extremism and terrorism while studying in Australia’, according to new information.
The revelation was revealed over the weekend after a public prosecution investigation was conducted by the United Arab Emirates into the averted terrorism attack on flydubai flight FZ1073.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
It’s alleged that 29-year-old pilot Hammam al-Hammami attempted to hijack the flight, carrying 182 people, by attacking his captain with an emergency axe while in flight on September 30.
The attack was reportedly aimed at launching a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, causing the greatest possible loss of life. The incident was averted when the critically injured captain was able to open the cockpit door, and al-Hammami was restrained by passengers and crew.
Investigators were able to trace al-Hammami’s drift towards extremism and terrorism as first emerging in 2017 while he was studying in Australia. In particular, it’s alleged that the pilot was influenced by reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks during that time, according to information released by the UAE Attorney-General Counsellor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi on October 9 this year.
Al-Hammami regularly attended a mosque affiliated with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology while studying in Melbourne and became acquainted with individuals of a ‘My Centre’ group allegedly receiving support from an association linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the Attorney General.
It’s understood that al-Hammami was employed by Oman Air from 2020 to 2024, Royal Air Maroc in early 2025 and flydubai from January 2026. It’s alleged he took two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the flight route and the airport before attempting an attack on the third.
Al-Hammami has provided a full confession to the incident and UAE public prosecutions teams are continuing to examine evidence, conduct reviews and investigate the involvement of possible accomplices or other connections, according to the Attorney General.
It’s understood that the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO are also investigating the matter.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
