Trump blames Iran for flydubai incident as Vance says evidence is inconclusive
Trump made the comments on Monday (5 October) when asked whether he believed Iran was responsible for the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073.
US President Donald Trump said he believes Iran was behind the suspected terrorist attack involving a flydubai aircraft. Vice President JD Vance said there was no conclusive evidence linking Tehran to the incident.
Trump made the comments on Monday (5 October) when asked whether he believed Iran was responsible for the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073.
"I personally do," Trump said.
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Vance spoke to reporters before departing for Alaska. He struck a more cautious tone and said he had not seen conclusive evidence of an Iranian role, reports Firstpost.
The comments came as investigators examined the motives and background of the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of the Dubai-to-Israel flight.
Two Israeli officials familiar with the investigation said the co-pilot told UAE interrogators he had planned the attack before joining flydubai. A third source briefed on the UAE investigation said he had intended to crash the aircraft into Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
The flight carried more than 170 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe.
The UAE prosecutor general described the incident as a terrorist attack.
According to the third source, the co-pilot had operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year. He had also considered hijacking and crashing that aircraft. He ultimately abandoned the plan. The reason was not immediately known.
The source said the co-pilot was believed to have known someone on board that earlier flight.
The sources spoke anonymously because they were discussing an ongoing investigation. UAE and Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. flydubai also declined to comment.
Two sources identified the suspect as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. Israeli officials confirmed that the suspect is from Oman but have not publicly identified him.
UAE authorities and flydubai have also not released his name.
Reuters could not independently contact al-Hammami, who is being held in the UAE. No formal charges have been publicly announced. It is unclear whether he has a lawyer. Oman has not publicly commented on the case.
Pilot praised after passengers help stop attack
Passengers and crew members overpowered the co-pilot and brought the incident under control, reports The Arab Weekly.
The pilot, Indian national Smit Machchhar, survived the assault. He has been praised for opening the cockpit door during the attack.
A reserve flydubai pilot travelling on the aircraft then took control. He diverted the plane to a regional airport in north-western Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities detained the suspect before transferring him to the UAE on Thursday (1 October).
The two Israeli officials said the co-pilot told UAE interrogators he had specifically sought employment with flydubai. He had looked for airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv.
The third source said Israeli authorities had received regular updates from the UAE about the investigation.
The incident has also raised questions about how the suspect was assigned to a flight bound for Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said pilots from countries with which Israel does not maintain diplomatic relations, including Oman, are not permitted to operate flights to Israel.
Netanyahu ordered a security review of foreign airlines operating flights to Israel.
Investigators examine suspect's overseas links
Authorities in New Zealand and Australia are also examining the suspect's previous links to their countries.
New Zealand Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Johnson said on Monday that the suspect had spent time in New Zealand. Police are investigating that period.
Johnson did not disclose when the suspect was in the country or identify him.
In Australia, a multi-agency counterterrorism unit is investigating his links to the country.
The suspect previously studied at RMIT University in Melbourne, Victoria. A source familiar with the investigation said he attended the university about a decade ago.
Netanyahu alleged that the suspect had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was suicidal. He did not provide details about when or where the alleged indoctrination took place.
The suspect also completed three months of theoretical training with Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc in 2025. The airline said it rejected his subsequent application for employment.
