Deleted accounts linked to Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami contained cockpit videos focusing on El Al and Arkia aircraft and images of al-Qaeda figures, CNN reported. Two LinkedIn posts appeared about nine hours after the Sept. 30 suspected hijacking attempt; it was unclear who published them or whether they had been scheduled. One video ended with images of former al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and a suicide bomber who killed seven CIA personnel in 2009.

Al-Hammami told investigators he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel, ABC News reported, citing sources briefed on the investigation. He had flown to Israel several times with Flydubai, including days before the incident, Channel 16 reported, citing a person familiar with the details. The UAE prosecutor general said he attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit’s crash axe and tried to seize control in an attempted terrorist attack. Passengers and crew subdued him, and additional pilots aboard landed the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

CNN reported that Oman Air had removed al-Hammami from flight training over concerns about extremist views and reassigned him to another role. His deleted LinkedIn profile also claimed employment at Royal Air Maroc, but the Moroccan airline told AP he never worked there as a pilot: he completed three months of theoretical training in 2025, and his employment application was rejected. Authorities are investigating how he was subsequently cleared to fly for Flydubai on routes to Israel.