5 hrs ago
Report Details Co-Pilot’s Violent Posts Amid Flight Attack Investigation
A report says an online account linked to a pilot shared posts threatening women and supporting violence.
The posts were made while he was studying aviation remotely at a British university.
The pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, is accused of attacking the captain on a flydubai plane last week.
The plane was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and had 182 people aboard.
The captain opened the cockpit door, and people on the plane restrained the co-pilot.
An Israeli official also said the pilot’s online posts showed extremist ideas, but this is an official’s claim.
The article says Oman had earlier removed him from flying duties over concerns about his views.
It remains unclear how thoroughly flydubai checked him before hiring him.
The Telegraph reported that an X account strongly linked to Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami posted violent and misogynistic comments while he studied aviation management remotely.
The posts, published from November 2021 to August 2022, included threats against women and support for severe punishments invoking Islamic law, according to the report.
Al-Hammami, 29, is accused of assaulting the captain and nearly crashing a flydubai flight carrying 182 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week.
An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that al-Hammami’s social media indicated jihadist radicalisation and discussion of killing Jews; the article provides no independent confirmation of that assessment.
Officials reportedly said Oman had removed al-Hammami from flying duties over concerns about extremist views before he later joined flydubai; the extent of his hiring vetting was unclear.
- Who
- Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who is accused of attacking the flight captain; The Telegraph reported on an X account it said was strongly linked to him.
- What
- A report described violent and misogynistic social media posts attributed to an account linked to al-Hammami, amid an investigation into an alleged attack aboard a flydubai flight.
- Where
- The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Al-Hammami was arrested and is being held in Abu Dhabi, according to the article.
- When
- The posts cited by The Telegraph date from November 28, 2021, to August 10, 2022; the alleged flight attack occurred the previous week, according to the article.
- Why
- The alleged motive for the flight incident is not established in the article. Oman reportedly removed al-Hammami from flying duties because of concerns about extremist views.
Account and allegations
Limits and clarifications
Attribution of online posts
Account and allegations
The Telegraph said the account appeared strongly linked to al-Hammami, citing matching biographical details, and attributed the posts to him.
Limits and clarifications
The article does not report independent confirmation that al-Hammami owned or controlled the account.
University sponsor-licence suspension
Account and allegations
Buckinghamshire New University’s licence to sponsor international students was suspended by the UK Home Office over concerns about compliance with sponsorship duties.
Limits and clarifications
The university and Home Office told The Telegraph that the suspension was not related to al-Hammami or the flight incident.
Key facts
- Co-pilot
- Hamam al-Hammami, 29, an Omani national
- Flight
- flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, with 182 people aboard
- Allegation
- Accused of assaulting the captain and nearly crashing the aircraft
- Social media review
- The Telegraph said it analyzed more than 2,000 posts from an X account it described as strongly linked to al-Hammami
- Post dates
- November 28, 2021, to August 10, 2022
- Education
- Studied aviation management remotely at Buckinghamshire New University; graduated in 2023
- Oman employment
- An official told the Associated Press that Oman removed him from flying duties and later moved him to an administrative job at Oman Air
- University licence
- Buckinghamshire New University said its Home Office sponsor-licence suspension was not related to al-Hammami or the flight incident
Quotes
X account linked by The Telegraph to Hamam al-Hammami
An account whose posts were linked by The Telegraph to the Omani co-pilot.
“his social media accounts [say] clearly that he has been radicalised into jihadist ideology. He talks about killing Jews.”
NDTV
“I'd stomp on your head, wipe the floor with you, make you an example to others, and then divorce you :).”
NDTV
Anwar Gargash
UAE senior diplomatic adviser, posting on X about the attack.
“dangerous terrorist act”
NDTV
Sources
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