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AzerNEWS Staff

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An Omani co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a Flydubai aircraft with a knife had previously been barred from flying by authorities in Oman over concerns that he had become radicalized, according to international media reports.

Al Arabiya, CNN and ABC, as well as The Wall Street Journal, reported that the co-pilot had been prevented from operating aircraft by Omani authorities for security reasons.

According to the reports, the co-pilot, who was born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, was believed by Omani authorities to have come under the influence of radical Islamist groups while he was in Syria.

The man, identified as Hammam Al-Hammami, joined Flydubai after leaving his job at Oman Air. He had previously applied for a position with Emirates, but his application was unsuccessful.

The incident occurred on September 30 aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During the flight, the co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain with a knife.

Despite the attack, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to restrain the attacker. The aircraft lost a significant amount of altitude during the struggle but was able to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The exact circumstances of the attack and its still-unclear motive are being investigated in the United Arab Emirates. Both pilots were taken to the country as part of the investigation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker had been “exposed to Islamist radicalization” and intended to crash the aircraft.