Flydubai co-pilot had flight ban in Oman for "extremist views"
The co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 had been banned from flying in Oman due to "extremist views". Flydubai announces an official investigation.
Flydubai co-pilot banned in Oman: "extremist views" and links to radical groups in Syria
The co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, who allegedly attacked the captain in the cockpit on Wednesday and nearly caused the aircraft to crash, had been banned from flying in Oman — his native country — after Omani authorities identified "extremist views", according to ProTV News, citing the Saudi media platform Al Arabiya, as reported by news agency EFE and Agerpres.
The suspect, identified only by the initials H.A.H., left Oman after being removed from the country's national airline. According to an "informed source" cited by Al Arabiya, it is possible that he was influenced by "extremist ideas" from "radical groups" in Syria, where he "spent some time" — his mother being of Syrian origin. This account contradicts information provided by CNN.
An unidentified regional diplomatic source told CNN that the suspect had been removed from pilot training course due to concerns about his radical views and that he later received a position at Oman Air. According to the same source, the pilot was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother and had lived for several years in the UAE.
An Israeli source cited by CNN specified that the suspect had worked for Flydubai for only eight months and had previously been employed by Royal Air Maroc, Morocco's national airline.
Flydubai has so far only stated that an official investigation will clarify the circumstances of the incident.
One question remains unanswered: how did the co-pilot — now in Abu Dhabi — manage to obtain authorisation to pilot an aircraft with a destination of Tel Aviv, given that Oman and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations. Should this be confirmed, authorities would consider it a serious breach of Emirati civil aviation security.
Source: Știrile ProTV