The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of an Israel-bound flydubai flight with an axe and attempting to seize control of the aircraft has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, according to multiple outlets across the political spectrum including Arab News, Fortune, Al Jazeera English and The Washington Times. UAE investigators said al-Hammami was planning a "terrorist act," as reported by The Japan Times, CNA, France 24 and Deutsche Welle, which attributed the characterization to the UAE's prosecutor general. GB News reported that the UAE's prosecutor general made that characterization on the morning of its report, and said al-Hammami struck the pilot with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
Officials told Arab News, Global News, The Washington Times and others that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying on Oman's national airline because of concerns about extremist views. Arab News attributed the claim to three unnamed people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf diplomat and a Western diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. GB News, citing the Wall Street Journal, reported he had been banned from flying the previous year over concerns about his radical ideological views, and separately reported, citing an Israeli official, that he had been working at flydubai for eight months.
According to CNN, the flight's pilot shared new details of the incident in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though the specifics of that call were not detailed in the supplied material. ABC News (Australia) reported that AFP confirmed an investigation into al-Hammami's Australian links, a claim not corroborated elsewhere in the material reviewed.
The New York Times reported that it remained unclear what background checks had been carried out before al-Hammami was allowed to fly to Israel, a question echoed by The Straits Times, which said existing measures may only go so far in identifying pilots who have become radicalized. The Times of India reported that airlines were reassessing "insider threat" risks following the attack. The Jerusalem Post reported, in a single account, that flydubai had hired the hijacking suspect without a proper background check.
Right-leaning outlets reported additional biographical details not found elsewhere. GB News said al-Hammami, 29, attended Buckinghamshire New University in Britain, completing a three-year distance-learning course in aviation management and graduating in 2023, though he did not take pilot training there; a university spokesman said his LinkedIn profile showed he had previously worked at Oman Air while studying, and that the institution's thoughts were with the injured pilot, crew and passengers. The Telegraph reported al-Hammami made "hateful rants" while studying at the British university. The Daily Wire reported, citing its own sourcing, that he was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother and had spent several years living in the UAE, and described him as having "struggled to find a wife." PJ Media raised a possible tie to the September 11 attacks, without further detail provided in the supplied material.
How the coverage differed
Center-leaning outlets, including Arab News, Fortune, The Japan Times, CNA, France 24, Deutsche Welle and Global News, converged most closely on the core facts: al-Hammami's identity, his barring from flying in Oman over extremism concerns, and the UAE prosecutor general's characterization of the incident as a planned "terrorist act." Several of these outlets, led by Arab News, carried near-identical headlines emphasizing that the co-pilot had been "flagged over extremism concerns."
Right-leaning outlets devoted more attention to al-Hammami's personal background and history abroad. GB News and The Telegraph both focused on his time at Buckinghamshire New University in Britain, with GB News detailing his coursework and employment history and The Telegraph highlighting reported extremist remarks made during that period. The Daily Wire and PJ Media pursued more speculative biographical and tie-in angles — his family background and marital history, and a possible September 11 connection, respectively — that were not reported by outlets on the left or center. The Jerusalem Post was alone in reporting that flydubai had failed to conduct a proper background check before hiring him.
Left-leaning outlets more often foregrounded official and diplomatic response and open questions. The New York Times questioned what background checks had been performed, CNN reported on a call between the pilot and Netanyahu, and ABC News (Australia) reported an AFP-confirmed investigation into al-Hammami's Australian links — a detail not mentioned by any center or right-leaning outlet in the supplied material. HuffPost and PBS NewsHour both used the same "Ax-wielding" framing as Arab News and the Washington Times, suggesting shared wire-service sourcing across the political spectrum.
What is still unclear
The supplied material does not specify what, if any, background checks flydubai conducted before employing al-Hammami, a question The New York Times and The Straits Times both raised without resolving. It is also unclear how the reported Australian links cited by ABC News, the alleged September 11 tie raised by PJ Media, and the reported extremist rants described by The Telegraph relate to the broader investigation, as none of these claims were corroborated by other outlets in the material reviewed.
How each side covered it
Left
- Reports, including The New York Times, noted it was unclear what background checks had been done before al-Hammami was allowed to fly to Israel.
- HuffPost and PBS NewsHour, citing an AP report, said al-Hammami had been flagged over extremism concerns.
- CNN reported the flight captain shared new details of the incident in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- ABC News (Australia) reported AFP was investigating al-Hammami's Australian links, a claim unique to that outlet.
“It was unclear what background checks had been carried out before he was allowed to fly to Israel.” — The New York Times
Center
- Multiple center outlets, including The Japan Times, CNA and France 24, reported UAE investigators said al-Hammami was planning a "terrorist act."
- Arab News and Fortune detailed that al-Hammami had been barred from flying in Oman over extremism concerns, citing unnamed officials.
- The Straits Times and Times of India outlets raised broader questions about airline background checks and an "insider threat" to aviation.
- Several outlets, including Global News and Deutsche Welle, described the weapon used as an axe and the attempt to seize the cockpit.
“UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning ‘terrorist act’” — The Japan Times
Right
- GB News reported al-Hammami, 29, studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in Britain and graduated in 2023.
- The Telegraph reported al-Hammami made "hateful rants" while studying at the British university.
- The Daily Wire reported al-Hammami was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother.
- The Jerusalem Post reported, in a single-sourced claim, that flydubai hired al-Hammami without a proper background check.
“FlyDubai hijacker studied at British University for three years” — GB News
Questions readers ask
What happened on the flydubai flight?
A co-pilot identified as Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain of an Israel-bound flydubai flight with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft, according to multiple outlets.
Who is Hamam al-Hammami?
Al-Hammami is an Omani national identified by officials as the co-pilot accused in the attack; The Daily Wire reported he was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, and GB News reported he studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in Britain.
Had al-Hammami been flagged before the incident?
Yes. Officials cited by Arab News, Global News and other outlets said he had been barred from flying on Oman's national airline over concerns about extremist views, and GB News reported, citing the Wall Street Journal, that the ban occurred the previous year.
What did UAE investigators say about the incident?
UAE investigators said al-Hammami was planning a "terrorist act," as reported by The Japan Times, CNA, France 24 and Deutsche Welle, which attributed the statement to the UAE's prosecutor general.
What questions remain unanswered about the case?
The New York Times and The Straits Times said it remains unclear what background checks were conducted before al-Hammami was allowed to fly to Israel, and how effectively airlines can screen for radicalization.
Sources · 40 outlet reports
- ABC News (Australia)Left-leaningAFP confirms investigation of flydubai co-pilot's Australian links
- Al Jazeera EnglishLeft-leaningWho is the mystery co-pilot behind the Flydubai attack?
- Associated PressLeft-leaningOman barred FlyDubai co-pilot from flying over extremism concerns, and other Mideast developments
- BloombergLeft-leaningLatest on FlyDubai Terror Attack, More A.I. Safety Concerns, More
- CBS NewsLeft-leaningFlyDubai co-pilot had previously been fired from Oman Air for "extremist views," sources said
- CNNLeft-leaningFlydubai pilot shares new details in call with Netanyahu
- HuffPostLeft-leaningFlyDubai Co-Pilot Who Nearly Crashed Plane Was Barred From Flying By Oman Over Extremism Concerns
- PBS NewsHourLeft-leaningAP report: Axe-wielding FlyDubai co-pilot had been flagged over extremism concerns
- The HinduLeft-leaningFlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed plane was barred from flying by Oman over extremism concerns
- The IndependentLeft-leaningIsrael plane attacker was banned from flying by Oman - report
- The New York TimesLeft-leaningOmani Co-Pilot on FlyDubai Flight Is Said to Have Extremist Views
- Arab NewsCenterUAE says FlyDubai co-pilot attempted to carry out terrorist attack
- CNACenterSuspect in flydubai attack was barred from flying in Oman: Reports
- Deutsche WelleCenterCo-pilot on Flydubai flight was banned from flying by Oman
- FortuneCenterFlyDubai co-pilot used cockpit’s crash axe to try seizing control of flight and was barred from flying by Oman due to concerns over extremist views
- France 24CenterCo-pilot on Flydubai flight was banned from flying by Oman for holding extremist views
- Global NewsCenterAxe-wielding FlyDubai co-pilot had been flagged over extremism concerns
- NewsNationCenterOman barred FlyDubai co-pilot from flying over extremism concerns, and other Mideast developments
- NewsweekCenterFlyDubai Co-Pilot Had Previously Been Flagged as Security Risk: Reports
- Sky NewsCenterNew details emerge about flydubai co-pilot - but big questions remain
- South China Morning PostCenterFlydubai plane attack: co-pilot barred from flying by Oman over extremist views
- The HillCenterFlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed plane was barred from flying by Oman over extremism concerns
- The Japan TimesCenterUAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning ‘terrorist act’
- The Straits TimesCenterSuspect in flydubai attack was barred from flying in Oman: Media
- The Times of IndiaCenterFlydubai attack: Co-pilot identified as Hamam Alhamami was barred from flying in Oman over 'extremist vie
- BreitbartRight-leaningFlydubai Hijacker Was Barred by Oman, Flagged ‘Security Risk’ — Intended to Crash Jet in Israel
- Daily ExpressRight-leaningMajor update as nationality and name of pilot who 'hijacked' FlyDubai flight revealed
- Fox NewsRight-leaningFlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing captain identified as 29-year-old Omani national
- GB NewsRight-leaningFlyDubai hijacker studied at British University for three years
- Independent Journal ReviewRight-leaningSaudi Arabia Arrests Suspect After Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing on Tel Aviv Flight
- New York PostRight-leaningOmani co-pilot accused of trying to hijack Israel-bound flydubai flight previously banned from flying over radical views: report
- NewsmaxRight-leaningReports: Oman Grounded FlyDubai Co-Pilot as Security Risk
- PJ MediaRight-leaningOman Banned FlyDubai Hijacker From Flying. So Why Was He?
- RedStateRight-leaningOmani Co-Pilot Now Identified, and More Details Are Out About 'Terrorist Act'
- The Daily WireRight-leaningFlydubai Hijacker Identified As Omani Citizen Who Struggled To Find a Wife
- The Jerusalem PostRight-leaningOmani pilot who allegedly hijacked flydubai flight has no second nationality
- The TelegraphRight-leaningFlydubai hijacker studied at British university
- The TimesRight-leaningWhat we know about Hamam al-Hammami, the Flydubai ‘hijacker’
- The Washington TimesRight-leaningCo-pilot accused in FlyDubai attack was previously flagged as a security risk, officials say
- Washington ExaminerRight-leaningFlydubai hijacker previously barred from flying by Oman over radical beliefs: Report