The United Arab Emirates’ attorney general has said an Omani co-pilot with Flydubai, who allegedly attacked the pilot last week, intended to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv’s international airport, killing as many people as possible. The alleged plot was inspired by al-Qaeda’s attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, according to the prosecutor.
The co-pilot, who is now in custody in the UAE, became radicalised while studying in Australia, the attorney general said. He was influenced by extremist literature and online material related to terrorist organisations and suicide attacks.
According to the prosecutor, the flight was the co-pilot’s third trip to Tel Aviv, and he had used his two previous flights to plan the alleged attack. Further details about the case and the judicial proceedings have not yet been reported.
