The co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv had reportedly been barred from flying in Oman over security concerns, according to media reports, raising fresh questions about aviation security checks and the sharing of background information between airlines and authorities.
The report, first published by The Wall Street Journal, said the co-pilot had been prevented from flying in his native Oman after concerns were raised about his alleged adoption of radical ideological views. He was later hired by Flydubai and was serving on Flight 1073 when the incident occurred.
The flight was carrying 182 people, including four pilots, when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during the journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Two other pilots intervened, took control of the aircraft and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The reported history has prompted questions about how the co-pilot passed aviation recruitment and security screening and whether concerns previously raised in Oman were communicated to other authorities or airlines.
The Wall Street Journal reported that it could not establish whether Oman had shared its concerns with other countries or airlines. The nature and extent of the alleged radicalization were also not immediately clear. CNN, citing two sources, reported that the co-pilot had been removed from a position at Oman’s national airline last year over concerns about extremist views. Al Arabiya, citing an informed source, likewise reported that Omani authorities had determined that he held extremist views.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone what he described as Islamist radical indoctrination and intended to crash the aircraft. Netanyahu also said authorities were examining whether the co-pilot had acted under the direction of others. The investigation remains ongoing, and the reported security concerns and circumstances surrounding the co-pilot’s employment are subject to further examination by the relevant authorities.
