Who Is Hamam al-Hammami? What We Know About Flydubai’s Omani Co-Pilot
Hamam al-Hammami, identified as the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian captain Smit Machchhar, is under investigation over alleged extremist links.
New details have emerged about Hamam al-Hammami, identified by reports as the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian captain Smit Machchhar aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30. He is currently in UAE custody as authorities investigate the incident and his possible motives.
Al-Hammami was reportedly born to an Omani father and Syrian mother and spent much of his life in the UAE. Reports suggest he previously worked for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai around eight months ago.
During his time at Oman Air, he reportedly attracted attention over alleged extremist views and visits to radical websites. He was removed from flying duties and assigned an office role before leaving the airline.
Investigators are also examining his alleged social media activity. A LinkedIn account carrying his name reportedly contained aviation-related posts and images of al-Qaeda figures. The account has since been removed, while its connection to the suspect has not been independently verified.
A former colleague reportedly described him as deeply religious and said he prayed frequently and avoided shaking hands with women.
Israeli officials have previously alleged that the co-pilot underwent radicalisation, but investigators have cautioned that the motive has not yet been conclusively established.
The case has raised questions about how the suspect passed aviation and security checks before entering the cockpit of an Israel-bound flight. Basically, the investigation now has two jobs: understanding what happened onboard and figuring out how the warning signs, if confirmed, were missed.
