DUBAI: The co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai jet last month had planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv’s international airport, the United Arab Emirates’ top prosecutor said on Friday.

The unnamed Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001 suicide attacks on the United States, and carried out his attempt “with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life”. “The findings showed that he had met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot’s licence, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks.” “However, none of the procedures revealed any indications of his extremist views or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the co-pilot must have got around restrictions preventing individuals from nations that do not recognise Israel operating flights to the country.­

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2026