Source : Perth Now news
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a flydubai copilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.”
Flydubai flight FZ1073 had begun its journey to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the copilot, identified by Mr Netanyahu as an Omani citizen, stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar in an alleged attempt to take control of the plane and crash it into the ground.
The Boeing 737, carrying 174 people, then abruptly descended almost 14,000 feet (5,100 metres) within minutes before passengers reportedly stormed into the cockpit to subdue the attacker.
The plane eventually made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia where everyone onboard was safely accounted for and the suspected was detained by authorities.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr Netanyahu said the copilot, who has not yet been identified, had been “radicalised”.
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we are gathering from his personal information,” the Israeli Prime Minister told the broadcaster.
“It looks very likely that he was going to down the plane.”
Coupled with “the Islamist tendencies, that radicalisation that are found in his background, I think that’s … a pretty good clue,” Mr Netanyahu added, without elaborating.
“But again, I don’t make final conclusions yet. But that’s the indications we have now.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel’s preliminary information indicated that the copilot intended to crash the plane, describing him as a terrorist, however Mr Netanyahu only described it as “a serious security incident”.
Israeli envoy to the UAE Yossi Shelley told Reuters it was too early to draw conclusions and no motive had been determined.
Another Israeli official said Israel was not receiving all the information it sought from Saudi authorities and that the Israeli intelligence services Mossad and Shin Bet were investigating the incident as well.
The United Arab Emirates has started investigations seeking to establish the circumstances and motives and determine “whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose, or involved prior planning or direction,” the UAE state news agency reported.
Omani authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
with Reuters
