The pilot suspected of attacking the commander of a Flydubai flight was reportedly fired by Oman Air because of extremist views

The pilot suspected of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was reportedly removed by Oman Air last year amid concerns about his radical views, according to sources cited by CNN. The incident took place on Wednesday, and the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

The suspect was identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen born in the United Arab Emirates. He reportedly worked for Oman Air for approximately seven years before leaving in February 2025. He was subsequently employed by Royal Air Maroc and then by Flydubai, where he reportedly worked for approximately eight months.

Sources cited by CNN claim that al-Hammami was removed from the flight training program and transferred to another position because of his radical views. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect had reportedly undergone “radical Islamist indoctrination.”

Investigations were expanded after posts associated with his online accounts were identified. These included images of aircraft belonging to Israeli airlines, photographs of Al-Qaida leaders, and messages containing threats and misogynistic content. The accounts were later deleted.

Authorities in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are investigating the incident, including to determine whether there was a link to terrorism or prior coordination. Flydubai said it could not comment while the investigation was ongoing.