Who is Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar?

The investigation into the alleged cockpit attack on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv has brought renewed scrutiny on the background of the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian captain Smit Machchhar.Israel's flag carrier El Al said on October 2 it had cancelled repatriation flights from Dubai, which it had planned due to flydubai suspending service to Tel Aviv following an in-flight attack. (AFP)The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, CNN reported, citing an Israeli official and Saudi state media. He is currently in the UAE and is being investigated over the incident, including whether it had any connection to terrorism.Reports by CNN, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Associated Press (AP) and ABC News have since shed light on al-Hammami’s employment history and his alleged links to extremist material.Also Read | Omani pilot used ‘crash axe’ in cockpit to attack Captain Smit Machchhar, attempted ‘terrorist attack’: UAEWhat reports say about his time at Oman AirAl-Hammami spent nearly seven years working for Oman Air. According to Associated Press (AP), Oman Air had prevented him from flying because of concerns over extremist views. However, it remained unclear how closely flydubai scrutinised his background before employing him.ABC News reported that extremist material was found in al-Hammami’s possession in 2024, when he was training to become a co-pilot at Oman Air. Despite the discovery, he was retained by the airline in an administrative capacity, but was removed from flight training.The reports, however, do not identify the material allegedly found in his possession or detail the specific views that raised concerns. There is also a discrepancy over the timing. ABC News places the discovery in 2024, while CNN’s account and the employment dates on his LinkedIn profile suggest it may have happened in 2025.Also Read | Omani co-pilot linked to Flydubai cockpit attack identifiedFrom Oman Air to Royal Air Maroc and flydubaiA LinkedIn profile that has since been deleted and was in al-Hammami’s name said he left Oman Air in February 2025 after nearly seven years with the airline.The profile listed a subsequent stint at Royal Air Maroc, where he reportedly joined in June 2025 and left in January 2026. CNN said a source familiar with the matter confirmed that the profile belonged to al-Hammami.An Israeli official told CNN that he had been working with flydubai for about eight months.WSJ reported that despite the concerns surrounding his previous employment, flydubai hired him. This eventually placed him on the UAE-Israel route, despite Oman not recognising Israel.Omani citizen born in UAEAl-Hammami is an Omani citizen who was born in the UAE. His father was Omani and his mother was Syrian.According to a report by Al Arabiya English, al-Hammami spent considerable time outside Oman, particularly in Syria, where he was influenced by extremist ideas before eventually moving to the UAE.His LinkedIn profile also stated that he had studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in England. CNN reported that the university confirmed that a man with his name had completed a three-year distance-learning programme and graduated in 2023.The Jerusalem Post, citing sources close to the investigation, reported that al-Hammami does not hold a second nationality.Also Read | Al Qaeda figures and more: Two posts surfaced on Omani co-pilot's profile after flydubai incident, says reportUAE, Israel investigate alleged attackSaudi Arabia handed al-Hammami over to the UAE on Thursday. Sources cited by ABC News said he was cooperating with investigators and has claimed that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel.The UAE attorney general has opened an investigation into whether the incident was connected to “terrorist activity”, CNN reported, citing the state-run WAM news agency.The incident has also prompted an investigation in Israel. Agencies including Shin Bet and Mossad are examining how an Omani citizen came to be part of the aircraft's crew.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said al-Hammami underwent “Islamist radicalisation” and that Israeli authorities are investigating whether anyone had sent him.CNN said investigators are examining his employment history, education and social media activity as they try to determine how he ended up in the cockpit of a flight bound for Israel.Flydubai told CNN that it could not comment while the investigation was ongoing. ABC News reported that the airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until further notice.