Flydubai Airport Attack Investigation Expands With Detention of Two More Pilots

The case began with an attack on the captain of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv in late September. The Omani co-pilot was subdued by colleagues and passengers, according to La Nacion.

UAE authorities subsequently said the cockpit attack was part of a plan to seize the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. Deutsche Welle reported that account on October 9, citing a UAE official.

On October 9, reports laid out the investigators' account of the intended attack. The UAE attorney general said the co-pilot had been inspired by the September 11 attacks after years of moving toward extremism, according to NYT World News. Al Jazeera reported that the suspect admitted acting alone after preparing psychologically and physically.

The preparations allegedly included two trips to Tel Aviv, according to nu.nl. The Independent reported that authorities also described him watching material promoting terrorism and taking boxing lessons.

The coverage raised questions about his employment history. Euronews reported that he had previously been barred from flying in Oman over extremist views. Yet UAE attorney general Hamad Saïf Al-Chamsi said he met all security requirements at hiring, according to Le Monde. The supplied reports do not explain how those two accounts fit together.

On October 10, the Guardian reported prosecutors' allegation that his radicalisation began while he was studying in Australia. On October 11, the Sydney Morning Herald identified Melbourne as the location. Separately, the Indian Express reported that passengers were planning a lawsuit following the cockpit attack.

By October 12, the Australian connection was being publicly challenged. The Independent reported that an Australian imam denied links to the accused co-pilot and criticised what he called "false accusations." The South China Morning Post reported that prosecutors had linked his Melbourne Islamic community centre to the suspect.

The latest reported development is the detention of two Maldivian co-pilots. On October 13, News18 reported that investigators said the two had close personal and professional ties to al-Hammami. Times of India also reported the detentions, citing a report.

Those reports widen the inquiry, but the supplied coverage does not establish that the detained pilots helped plan or carry out the attack. That distinction matters because the earlier account from authorities said the suspect admitted acting alone, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The alleged Australian connection also remains disputed. NYT World News reported investigators' account of the suspect's drift toward extremism while studying there, while The Independent carried the imam's denial.

The immediate question is what investigators establish about the two detained pilots beyond their reported ties to the suspect. The available coverage does not specify charges against them or explain whether authorities have revised the account that he acted alone.

Further findings could also clarify the gap between the reported flying restriction in Oman and the UAE attorney general's statement that the suspect met hiring security requirements. The planned passenger lawsuit is another pending development, though the Indian Express headline does not establish that a case has been filed.