Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen and former pilot for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, has been identified as the co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain of a Flydubai flight to Israel and attempting to take control of the aircraft and crash it in Israeli territory. US media outlets identified al-Hammami overnight and reported new details about his professional history, alleged radicalization, and social media activity.
According to ABC News, al-Hammami told investigators that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel. Officials familiar with the investigation said he is cooperating with authorities in the United Arab Emirates, while Israel is expected to participate in the probe.
His previous employment has raised questions about how he was later hired by Flydubai. The Wall Street Journal reported that al-Hammami's employment with Oman Air ended after concerns about alleged radicalization. ABC reported that in 2024, while working as a co-pilot, “extremist materials" were reportedly found in his possession. He was barred from flying but remained with the airline in an administrative role. It remains unclear whether those concerns were communicated to Royal Air Maroc or Flydubai, where he subsequently worked.
CNN, citing three sources including an Israeli source, also identified the suspect as al-Hammami. The network reported that he was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, holds Omani citizenship and spent part of his life in the Emirates. A LinkedIn profile bearing his name shows that he worked for Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025. He joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and remained there until January 2026. His employment with Flydubai, which began this year, is not listed on the profile.
Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya reported that al-Hammami underwent a process of radicalization while living in Syria. Citing a source, the network said Omani authorities were aware of his extremist views and that his time in Syria may have exposed him to radical groups. The report also noted that his mother is Syrian.
Questions have also been raised by recent activity on a LinkedIn account attributed to al-Hammami. CNN reported that two posts appeared on the account roughly nine hours after the attempted attack, although it could not establish who published them or whether they had been prepared in advance.
One post featured videos filmed from the cockpit of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the model operated by Flydubai on the flight involved in the incident. One video showed an El Al aircraft at Dubai International Airport. Other footage featured El Al and Arkia aircraft, followed by an image of former al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The second post reportedly contained an AI-generated image of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem connected by a glowing path, accompanied by a song containing references to honor, humiliation and death.
CNN also reported that al-Hammami studied at New King's College University in England. A university source confirmed that a person with the same name completed a three-year distance-learning program and graduated in 2023 with a degree in aviation management. An X account bearing his name, which has since been deleted, also contained posts expressing extremist religious views, according to CNN.
The investigation is being conducted in the UAE by the country's state security apparatus, known as SSD, which reports directly to President Mohammed bin Zayed. Israeli officials are expected to receive updates from Abu Dhabi, and Israel is expected to take part in the investigation. The UAE Attorney General said al-Hammami attempted to carry out a terror attack, alleging that he attacked the captain with an emergency axe and tried to seize control of the aircraft's flight systems. Authorities are continuing to investigate his motives and the circumstances of the incident.
Investigators are also examining whether al-Hammami acted alone. President Donald Trump said he had “heard that Iran" was connected to the pilot, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that another party may have been involved.
Israeli security officials, however, have said there is currently no indication that al-Hammami was directed or recruited by a specific organization or country. The current assessment is that he acted independently. The Associated Press likewise reported, citing a source familiar with the investigation, that there is no evidence so far linking him to Iran.
Authorities are also examining how an Omani citizen came to serve as a pilot on a flight to Israel despite the absence of diplomatic relations between Israel and Oman. Netanyahu has described the arrangement as a “loophole" that the suspect managed to exploit.
Flydubai said the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation and that it could not provide further comment. The UAE investigation continues as authorities seek to establish al-Hammami's motives and determine how he was able to attempt to take control of the aircraft.