flydubai flight incident: ‘Free Palestine’ material found among Omani co-pilot’s belongings, say Israeli media

As international investigations into the midair security scare aboard a flydubai flight intensify news agency ANI quoting Israelrsquos i24 News said an Emirati source had revealed that leaflets and publications from ldquoFree Palestinerdquo groups along with other proPalestinian material were found among the belongings of the Omani copilotAccording to i24 News the copilot had repeatedly expressed support for the Palestinians and hostility towards IsraelThe disclosure comes as investigators examine the copilotrsquos alleged Islamic radicalisation and possible terrorist motivesMeanwhile The Jerusalem Post citing sources close to the investigation reported that the Omani copilot did not hold any second nationality This has raised questions over how a national of a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel was cleared to operate the routeThe security crisis unfolded on Wednesday September 30 aboard a flydubai flight operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv The Omani copilot allegedly stabbed the commander in what appeared to be an attempt to bring down the aircraft The confrontation triggered a steep descent with the plane dropping approximately 16000 feet within two minutes before a hijacking distress signal was transmittedDespite sustaining severe injuries Captain Smit Machchhar fought back against the assailant Flight crew members and passengers then breached the flight deck and helped restrain the attacker allowing control of the aircraft to be reestablished The plane subsequently made an emergency landing in Tabuk Saudi Arabia with all 180 occupants disembarking without injuryCaptain Smit Machchharrsquos actions during flydubai cockpit attackFurther details have emerged about Captain Machchharrsquos actions and the international investigation into the incidentAccording to statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to CBS News the flight was nearing Israeli airspace when the assault occurredMachchhar managed to repel the copilot sufficiently to unlatch the cockpit entry Two nonduty aviators who were onboard subsequently took control of the aircraft and helped land it during the emergency in TabukThe identity of the copilot has not yet been publicly disclosed An Omani official confirmed to CBS News that the assailant was born in Oman and holds Omani citizenship although Muscat has not formally acknowledged his citizenship publiclyNetanyahu while describing the moments inside the cockpit to Fox and Friends said crew members had to use earphone cords and plastic cuffs to restrain the attackerldquoHe is lying on the floor and he calls out to the crew kill me kill me So it is clear that he was suicidal and was going to down the planerdquo Netanyahu said earlier characterising the episode to CBS News as looking ldquolike a suicide attemptrdquoDavid Mencer a spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister also provided details during an appearance on Fox Newsrsquo daily news programme The Story He said Netanyahu had obtained detailed testimony from a passenger who entered the cockpit alongside flight attendantsldquoThat pilot wasnt sitting in the pilots chairrdquo Mencer said ldquoHe was standing over the controls He was using his feet to destroy the controls of the aircraft while he was attacking that Indian pilotrdquo Mencer added ldquoHis objective was to bring down that airplanerdquoNetanyahu also told Fox News that ldquopersonal informationrdquo gathered through ongoing interrogations had led Israeli authorities to conclude that the copilot ldquounderwent Islamist radical indoctrinationrdquoIsraeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier described the incident as ldquoan attempted jihadist terror attackrdquo and labelled the copilot a ldquoterroristrdquoInvestigation examines possible Iran linkUS President Donald Trump has also suggested that the copilot could have had connections to Tehran saying his assessment was ldquobased on what Im hearingrdquoldquoWere working on it right nowrdquo Trump said ldquoTheyre being very open with us I would say the answer based on what Im hearing is yes But were working on it right nowrdquoTrumprsquos remarks went beyond what Netanyahu had said The Israeli Prime Minister told Fox that it remained ldquotoo early to sayrdquo whether Iran was involvedAn Israeli security official told CBS News that investigators were examining whether the incident could have been an attempted September 11style attack while also investigating whether the perpetrator acted independently Netanyahu has previously warned of growing security threats targeting Israel and its assets amid ongoing campaigns against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in LebanonAfter his immediate arrest the suspect was transferred to the United Arab Emirates A senior Israeli official told CBS News that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally conveyed to Netanyahu his expectation that Saudi authorities would transfer the copilot to the UAEIsraeli investigative personnel have subsequently been sent to the UAE to join the locally led inquiry and help determine whether outside parties orchestrated the attackPassengers helped restrain flydubai copilotFootage released by Israelrsquos Channel 12 showed the chaos aboard the flydubai flight after Captain Machchhar and passengers thwarted the crash attempt Filmed from a seat near the cockpit the footage captured passengers shouting ldquohe tried to crash the planerdquo yelling ldquotake him outrdquo and urging others to sit downAfter the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia police teams arrived and passengers told ground staff that the copilot ldquois a terroristrdquoNetanyahu had earlier praised the tremendous act of heroism displayed by Captain Machchhar saying the injured pilot managed to unlock the cockpit door while ldquofighting for his liferdquo According to Netanyahu Machchharrsquos actions helped prevent what could have been another 911style crashIndiarsquos Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal meanwhile confirmed that Captain Machchhar is in a stable condition and recovering well in a UAE hospitalAfter visiting the captain and his family Ambassador Mittal said Machchharrsquos morale was high and that he was ldquosmiling and also laughingrdquoSpeaking to Prasar Bharati after his hospital visit the envoy described Machchhar as a brave son of India praising his response during the midair crisis and crediting him with saving hundreds of lives and averting a major catastropheflydubai incident impacts IsraelUAE repatriation flightsThe incident has also had repercussions for regional air travel Israelrsquos premier carrier El Al announced that repatriation flights meant to bring stranded citizens back from Dubai had been cancelled after the United Arab Emirates UAE withdrew landing permissions for the servicesOvernight reports indicated that the UAE had revoked its clearance However the Transportation Ministry initially said delays were expected but that the flights would still operate as reported by The Times of IsraelIn an advisory prominently displayed on El Alrsquos digital platform the airline said ldquodue to the cancellation of approval for Israeli companies to land in Dubai as was reported by the authorities in Israel we are forced to cancel at this stage our rescue flights LY9741 LY972 for tomorrow Friday October 2rdquoFlights scheduled for the following week remained on the timetable according to the announcement although those services were already fully bookedAccording to Channel 12 as reported by The Times of Israel the cancellation followed extended discussions between senior Israeli and Emirati officials that failed to result in final agreements and authorisations allowing Israeli airline aircraft to land in the UAEWith ANI inputs