The co-pilot of a Flydubai aircraft, who attempted to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's international airport, had meticulously planned the attack, according to findings from the United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor. The incident, which occurred last week, involved the co-pilot attacking the captain mid-flight, resulting in an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The unnamed Omani co-pilot, currently in custody, had drawn inspiration from the September 11 attacks in the United States, aiming to inflict maximum casualties. Reports indicate that he had begun to radicalize while studying in Australia, where he consumed extremist literature and followed online content that glorified terrorist acts.

During the flight, the co-pilot used an emergency axe to assault the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, who valiantly fought back and attempted to summon help. A fellow pilot on board noticed unusual activity at the cockpit door and intervened, assisted by cabin crew and several passengers, who managed to restrain the assailant and rescue the injured captain.

This flight marked the co-pilot's third journey to Tel Aviv, and he had used his previous trips to strategize the attack. Following the incident, the passengers were safely repatriated on another Flydubai flight hours later.

The UAE prosecutor's findings highlighted that despite meeting all professional and security requirements for his role, including holding a valid pilot's license and passing background checks, there were no indications of the co-pilot's extremist views or intentions to commit a terrorist act. This has raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of security measures in place for foreign airline operations to Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the bravery of the passengers and the crew in averting what could have been a catastrophic event. He has since ordered a comprehensive review of security protocols for foreign civil aviation to Israel to prevent any future incidents.

The co-pilot had previously worked for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc but had been barred from flying in Oman due to concerns about his radical views. This incident has prompted discussions about the need for enhanced scrutiny of pilots and crew members operating flights to Israel, especially in light of the close ties established between Israel and the UAE since the normalization of relations under the Abraham Accords in 2020.