(CNN) — The alleged hijacker of the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv likely wanted to target Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main international gateway, according to an Israeli official and an Israeli source familiar with the matter.
Hamam al-Hammami, the suspect in the hijacking attempt and co-pilot on board the flight, was stopped by the actions of the captain and several passengers who restrained him and wrested control of the airplane.
The official and the source said Israel is receiving updates from the Emiratis and that the investigation was still in its early stages. There are still questions about the suspect’s intentions, they added.
It’s unclear why al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, over Saudi airspace if his goal was to target an airport in Israel. The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the attempted hijacking on board Flydubai’s FZ1073 to learn the motives behind the attack and understand how the suspect was able to get through the safeguards of two countries known for their strict security protocols.
Israel’s Channel 12 News first reported that Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport may have been the target of the hijacking.
CNN reported on Sunday that the suspect probably acted alone, and Israel is so far not aware of a link to any terrorist organization that trained, funded, or organized the attack.
The attorney general of the UAE, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said the co-pilot on board the flight had attempted to seize control of the plane by attacking his colleague with a crash ax – a piece of equipment required on most aircraft. The attorney general called the attempted hijacking a “terrorist act.”
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