Investigation: attack on Flydubai flight planned as early as July
According to a regional official, the co-pilot deliberately sought work with an airline flying to Israel.
Follow-up to: Australia investigates Flydubai co-pilot’s past Monday, 5 October 2026, 04:09
The attack on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv may have been prepared as early as July, investigators have reported according to The Associated Press. The co-pilot is also said to have deliberately gone to work for an airline that flies to Israel.
The new findings come from an investigation led by the United Arab Emirates. A regional official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media, told AP that the suspect initially intended to carry out the attack in July. According to the same source, he postponed the plan and later sought work with an airline operating flights to Israel.
The co-pilot is suspected of attacking the captain during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week and attempting to take control of the aircraft. The crew and passengers managed to bring the situation under control. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia; the suspect was subsequently transferred to the United Arab Emirates.
The authorities are treating the case as a planned terrorist attack, but many details have not yet been made public. AP writes that the suspect had previously been grounded in Oman because of concerns about extremist views. He also spent some time in New Zealand. The Australian authorities are now investigating his past there, without having confirmed any link between that stay and the attack.
The case has prompted renewed scrutiny of security procedures surrounding foreign crews. Israeli and Emirati officials disagree over which agencies had checked the crew details and who was responsible for any warnings. According to officials involved, Israel received a list of passengers and crew in advance, but saw no reason in it to intervene.
The new information does not yet prove why the suspect was ultimately hired or exactly which checks were carried out. Nor has it been independently confirmed that he planned the attack solely because of the destination Israel. The main question for investigators is therefore not only what happened on board, but also how earlier signals about the co-pilot failed to result in a flying ban.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The co-pilot is suspected of carrying out an attack during a flight to Tel Aviv.
- According to AP, the attack may have been prepared as early as July.
- Authorities are investigating how earlier signals about the suspect passed through aviation checks.
Left
Arguments Security checks should be targeted and effective, but must not descend into general suspicion of people based on nationality, religion or background. The focus should be on verifiable behaviour and independent oversight.
Values Legal protection, non-discrimination and proportionate government action.
Consequences A broad tightening of controls could damage trust and mobility; targeted information-sharing could improve security without burdening entire groups.
Centre
Arguments Airlines and governments share responsibility. The procedures should be evaluated, with clear powers and an opportunity for decisions to be independently reviewed afterwards.
Values Institutional reliability, proportionality and international cooperation.
Consequences New checks may be necessary, but they must remain workable for international aviation and not be based solely on political pressure.
Right
Arguments Anyone regarded as a risk by a national security service should not automatically be allowed into an international cockpit. Stricter background and security checks are defensible for flights to sensitive destinations.
Values Public safety, prevention and national responsibility.
Consequences More screening could prevent attacks, but would entail higher costs, longer procedures and possible conflicts with privacy rules.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's core is based on AP and clearly attributed to officials. Unconfirmed elements are presented as uncertain.
- confirmed According to a regional official, the attack was allegedly planned as early as July. — AP reports this on the basis of an anonymously quoted regional official. source
- confirmed According to the investigation, the co-pilot sought work with an airline that flew to Israel. — AP attributes this to the same regional official. source
- confirmed The flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. — AP describes the emergency landing and the subsequent arrest. source
- confirmed Australia is investigating the suspect's stay in the country. — AP previously reported that Australian authorities had launched an investigation. source
Editor's note
The July planning and the choice of an airline operating flights to Israel are based on an anonymously quoted regional official. The precise security failings and motive have not yet been independently established.Sources
- A look at what’s being said on the FlyDubai attack on an Israel-bound plane — Associated Press
- Australia launches probe into FlyDubai co-pilot’s past — Associated Press
The story so far
- Thursday, 1 October 2026, 19:03 Netanyahu links cockpit incident to radicalisation
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 13:05 Israel begins repatriation flights after cockpit incident
- Saturday, 3 October 2026, 02:14 ABC: Flydubai co-pilot previously suspended after safety concerns
- Saturday, 3 October 2026, 09:19 UAE call Flydubai incident terrorist attack
- Saturday, 3 October 2026, 11:19 Emirates describe co-pilot’s attack as terrorist act
- Sunday, 4 October 2026, 21:00 Omani co-pilot named as suspect in Flydubai incident
- Monday, 5 October 2026, 04:09 Australia investigates Flydubai co-pilot’s past
- Monday, 5 October 2026, 17:43 Investigation: co-pilot wanted to crash aircraft
- Monday, 5 October 2026, 18:43 Investigators say co-pilot had planned attack earlier
- Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 09:41 Investigation: attack on Flydubai flight planned as early as July (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „flydubai luchtvaartveiligheid”
- de Volkskrant — „flydubai luchtvaartveiligheid”
- RTL Nieuws — „flydubai luchtvaartveiligheid”