DUBAI: Israeli authorities received the crew list for a FlyDubai flight allegedly targeted by its co-pilot in an attempted hijacking before the aircraft departed for Tel Aviv, raising questions over whether existing security checks failed to identify him as a potential threat, according to Israeli media.
Israel’s Tax Authority said authorities had received passenger and crew lists for Flight FZ1073, but the Transportation Ministry declined to say whether it had reviewed the information before Wednesday’s flight, Haaretz reported Saturday.
The revelation comes as new details emerged about the Omani co-pilot, identified as Hamam Al-Hammami, who is accused of attacking the captain with the cockpit’s crash axe and attempting to take control of the aircraft as it flew from Dubai to Israel.
Al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns that he had adopted extremist views, according to reports. Investigators were examining whether he acted alone or had links to an extremist organization.
The incident has raised concerns over Israel’s aviation security procedures.
Under an Israeli law passed in 2023, airlines operating flights to and from Israel are required to provide passenger and crew data to the National Center for Passenger Data Analysis, which operates under the Tax Authority.
The information must be provided up to 48 hours before departure and includes identifying details such as names and nationalities. The database was established partly to identify potential terrorism and aviation-security threats and can be accessed by agencies including Mossad, Shin Bet and Israeli police.
The Transportation Ministry’s security division and Mossad were responsible for checking foreign flight crews and issuing warnings where suspicions arose, according to security sources cited by Haaretz.
However, two security sources told the newspaper that while the Transportation Ministry formally holds responsibility, it lacks its own intelligence capabilities and relies on agencies such as Mossad or Shin Bet.
Shin Bet told Haaretz that its responsibility covers Israeli airlines and security directives at Ben Gurion Airport, but not foreign carriers.
The UAE, which is leading the investigation, described the incident as a “terrorist attack.” Investigations into the motive and any possible links to extremist groups remain ongoing.
The captain and Al-Hammami were transferred from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi on Thursday after receiving medical treatment and being cleared to travel, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.