Classification of incident as terrorist act
The Prosecutor General of the United Arab Emirates has officially recognised the incident on board a Flydubai aircraft as an act of terrorism. This was reported by Reuters, citing a statement from the leadership of the Emirate's prosecution service.
Circumstances of attack in cockpit
According to the Prosecutor General, the second pilot of the flight bound for Tel Aviv attacked the aircraft's commander. He used an emergency axe for the assault, after which he attempted to seize control of the plane.
Identification of the perpetrator
Sources from Associated Press and Reuters identified the second pilot as
Hammama al-Hammami, a citizen of Oman.
Background and possible links
According to another AP source, al-Hammami was previously banned from flying in Oman due to concerns about his extremist views. He subsequently took a job with Flydubai, which is based in the UAE. It is currently unknown how thoroughly his candidacy was vetted during recruitment.
Investigation progress
A diplomat from a Persian Gulf country told Associated Press that an investigation is ongoing. Its aim is to establish whether the second pilot acted alone or had links to extremist groups. Investigators are also determining the circumstances of the attack and the motives behind the crime.
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