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Investigators revealed that the two Maldivian nationals maintained close personal and professional ties to al-Hammami
Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami who attacked Captain Smit Machchaar. (Image: LinkedIn/Reuters)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities have detained two Maldivian co-pilots employed by flydubai in connection with the September 30 security incident aboard flight FZ1073, involving Indian Captain Smit Machchaar, officials confirmed.
The state-backed flight crews were taken into custody on October 3 as investigators broaden their probe into the background and associates of the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, who attacked Machchaar.
Investigators revealed that the two Maldivian nationals maintained close personal and professional ties to al-Hammami. Reports indicate they worked together, shared flight shifts, and may have resided in the same residential building.
Counter-terrorism officials are currently interrogating the pilots to establish the exact nature and frequency of their contact—including shared flights, social gatherings, and private digital communications—to determine if al-Hammami ever explicitly expressed extremist views, discussed martyrdom, or referenced 9/11-style attacks.
A ‘LONE WOLF’ DRIVEN BY AL-QAEDA IDEOLOGY
According to UAE investigators, al-Hammami has confessed to acting entirely alone. Forensic analysis of his social media accounts uncovered imagery of prominent al-Qaeda figuresincluding Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi — the operative behind the 2009 suicide bombing of a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan. These posts were frequently juxtaposed with footage of Israeli military aircraft.
While pro-al-Qaeda media and Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have publicly lauded al-Hammami as a “hero” who revived the legacy of the September 11 strikes, UAE intelligence officials emphasize there is no evidence of an official operational link to al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, or any other established militant organisation.
At A Glance
UAE authorities detained two Maldivian flydubai co-pilots on October 3 regarding the September 30 security incident on flight FZ1073.
Investigators revealed the detained pilots maintained close personal and professional ties with the attacker, Hamam al-Hammami.
UAE investigators stated that al-Hammami acted alone and was driven by al-Qaeda ideology without direct operational links to militant groups.
Al-Hammami specifically targeted a flydubai direct route between Dubai and Tel Aviv and conducted reconnaissance on two earlier flights.
Instead, authorities view him as a classic self-radicalized “lone wolf” who grew deeply aggrieved over geopolitics and absorbed extremist ideology over nearly a decade.
PREMEDITATED PLOT TARGETING TEL AVIV ROUTE
The investigation has established that the concept of turning a passenger jet into a suicide weapon—a hallmark of al-Qaeda’s operational doctrine—became firmly rooted in al-Hammami’s mind due to his obsession with the 2001 US attacks.
He specifically targeted flydubai because the carrier operates a direct route between Dubai and Tel Aviv. Intelligence logs show he booked and flew on two earlier flights along the exact same route purely for reconnaissance and assessment before executing the September 30 attempt.
SECURITY SCREENING UNDER SCRUTINY
The widening probe has raised critical vulnerabilities regarding aviation screening and hiring protocols within the region. A central line of inquiry for global aviation watchdogs and UAE investigators is how al-Hammami successfully cleared flydubai’s stringent security and background checks, despite prior red flags and security concerns raised during his previous time in Oman.
Investigators are now systematically reviewing whether the two detained Maldivian co-pilots underwent the same screening processes, and whether internal vetting mechanisms failed to detect signs of radicalization within the commercial cockpit.
The investigation remains active as authorities continue to cross-reference digital forensics with intelligence briefs.
Quick Answers
Ask News18UAE authorities detained two Maldivian co-pilots on October 3, 2026, due to their close personal and professional ties with Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot who attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchaar on flydubai flight FZ1073. Investigators are interrogating them to determine if al-Hammami shared extremist views or referenced terrorist attacks.
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Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18
October 13, 2026, 2:25 PM IST
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