Al Qaeda urges attacks on US and Israeli flights following Flydubai hijack attempt
A pro-Al Qaeda weekly published a message calling for copycat attacks on American and Israeli aircraft, referencing the September 11 attacks and praising the recent Flydubai hijacking attempt.
A weekly outlet linked to Al Qaeda, al-Bayan, posted a message on Friday urging further attacks on aircraft carrying American and Israeli passengers. The Arabic-language article cited the September 11 attacks and the attempted takeover of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, stating that planes "carrying Zionists, Americans and all the other infidels fighting against Islam are still hovering in the skies and can be targeted, as happened on September 11th and 30th." The piece included images of the 2001 Twin Towers crash and a reference to the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight incident.
The article added that "America and the Zionists have far more enemies today than before" and predicted that "the day will come when the empire of evil America will end." The post circulated on the publication’s Telegram channels before being removed.
Security officials said the co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani pilot, attacked the captain with a cockpit axe and attempted to seize control of the Flydubai jet, which was later diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi confirmed that investigators determined the co-pilot "attempted to carry out a terrorist act" and said the probe continues into his motives and any possible extremist links.
Terrorism analyst Evan Kohlmann noted that Hammami’s social-media accounts briefly posted material linking him to Al Qaeda, including a cockpit video and an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former Al Qaeda leader. Kohlmann said the reference to former Al Qaeda operative Humam al-Balawi was notable, given Balawi’s background as a professional who later became a suicide bomber for the group.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration said it is monitoring the incident and coordinating with aviation, law-enforcement and international partners, while no public evidence has yet shown that Hammami acted on direct orders from Al Qaeda. The UAE investigation remains ongoing.