FlyDubai Pilot Underwent Islamist Radical Indoctrination Before Attempting To Cr∆sh Plane — Israeli PM Netanyahu
FlyDubai Pilot Underwent Islamist Radical Indoctrination Before Attempting To Crash Plane — Israeli PM Netanyahu 
The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew members intervened and subdued the attacker.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to crash an Israel-bound passenger aircraft had undergone what he described as “Islamist radical indoctrination.”
Netanyahu made the disclosure on Thursday while discussing the incident involving Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain in the cockpit.
The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew members intervened and subdued the attacker.
According to Netanyahu, the suspect is currently being interrogated as authorities investigate his background and the motive behind the incident.
“The attacker, the co-pilot who attacked the captain, is now being interrogated,” Netanyahu said.
“But here is what we do know. First, we know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we are gathering from his personal information.”
Netanyahu made the comments during an interview with Fox News, adding that it was still too early to establish whether the suspect had links to Iran.
The Israeli Prime Minister had earlier said the pilot appeared to have attempted to crash the aircraft after stabbing the captain.
The incident began when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain, causing the aircraft to descend sharply.
The wounded captain reportedly managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to enter and overpower the attacker.
A reserve crew member subsequently took control of the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
The attacker has been identified by officials as an Omani national and remains in Saudi custody while investigations continue.
The motive for the attack has not been independently established, and authorities are examining whether he acted alone or had links to any organisation.
Netanyahu said Israel would seek to establish the full background of the suspect, including whether there were accomplices or possible links to Iran.
“We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices,” Netanyahu said in a separate interview, while cautioning that it was too early to determine Iranian involvement.
The incident has prompted heightened security concerns in Israel, with Israeli officials investigating whether the attempted crash could have been terrorism-related.
However, Flydubai has urged caution, saying the underlying reasons and motives remained unknown and were subject to a formal investigation.
The airline also confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safe and accounted for.
The captain, an Indian national, sustained injuries during the attack but survived. Passengers who intervened in the cockpit have been praised for helping prevent the aircraft from crashing.
The suspect is being investigated by authorities from Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, while the motive remains unresolved.
