A FlyDubai co-pilot attempted to seize control of a plane bound for Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv last week. The attacker, identified as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami, reportedly stabbed his captain in a suspected attempt to crash the aircraft into the airport.
Hammam al-Hammami is currently in custody in the United Arab Emirates. Investigations indicate that the co-pilot embraced extremist Islamist views. Early findings from Israeli and U.S. officials suggest the incident was a lone wolf attack, rather than an operation conducted on behalf of a foreign government or as part of a larger organization.
The investigation has highlighted several major security lapses, although UAE authorities had shared a list of passengers and crew with Israel prior to the flight. While Israel was prepared to implement long-practiced protocols following the cockpit attack, media reports indicate that pilots from countries hostile to Israel have flown into the country repeatedly in recent years.