Investigators with the UAE Public Prosecution have disclosed that the Omani co-pilot involved in the September 30 airborne assault on flydubai flight FZ1073 began his “drift towards extremism and terrorism” while studying at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
According to official statements released by UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami admitted during interrogations that he drew inspiration from the 9/11 terrorist attacks and sought to become a pilot specifically to execute a similar suicide operation using a commercial airliner. UAE authorities confirmed that al-Hammami’s primary target was the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, aiming to maximize casualties.
Emirati prosecutors revealed that during his time in Melbourne between 2015 and 2017, al-Hammami was exposed to radical literature, takfiri ideology, and extremist online material glorifying suicide operations. To prepare for the plot, he underwent private boxing training and conducted reconnaissance flights to Tel Aviv prior to the incident.
Australian security services and the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team have launched a concurrent investigation into his activities in Melbourne. Meanwhile, UAE authorities clarified that flydubai’s initial background checks returned no active red flags at the time of his hiring in early 2026.
