Netanyahu Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Was ‘Radicalised’ by Islamist Indoctrination

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the Omani co-pilot involved in the Flydubai incident had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”, as authorities continue questioning him over the incident.

Netanyahu said investigators were gathering information from the co-pilot’s personal background and would examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether he had accomplices and whether there was any Iranian involvement.

“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we’re gathering from the information, his personal information,” Netanyahu said.

CO-PILOT ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO DISRUPT AIRCRAFT

Describing the incident aboard the Flydubai aircraft carrying passengers towards Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said the co-pilot was not occupying either of the two pilot seats when the confrontation began.

Instead, Netanyahu said, he was positioned in the centre of the cockpit and attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s instruments.

According to Netanyahu, an Israeli passenger intervened and pulled the co-pilot away from the controls before other people on board helped restrain him. His hands were initially tied with an earphone cord until plastic restraints became available, Netanyahu said.

The co-pilot allegedly later called out to the crew while lying on the floor of the aircraft, saying, “Kill me. Kill me.”

Netanyahu said the co-pilot was still being questioned and stressed that the investigation had not yet reached a final conclusion about his motives.

PASSENGERS FEARED THE PLANE WOULD CRASH

Netanyahu also described the panic inside the aircraft after it reportedly went into a steep nose-dive.

He said passengers believed the aircraft was going to crash and began praying. Recounting a conversation with a child whose parents and siblings were on board, Netanyahu said the child described the moment by saying, “We flew to the ceiling.”

The Israeli prime minister credited the Indian pilot, an Israeli passenger and other people on board with helping prevent the situation from becoming a catastrophe.

Netanyahu said he later saw the Israeli passenger, who he claimed was covered in the pilot’s blood. He described the pilot as having been seriously injured during the confrontation.

NETANYAHU RAISES POSSIBLE IRAN LINK

Netanyahu said investigators would also examine whether the co-pilot acted alone and whether Iran had any connection to the incident.

“We’ll find out. We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices, whether Iran was behind it. I think we’ll find that out very soon,” he said.

However, Netanyahu did not provide evidence establishing Iranian involvement or offer a final determination of the co-pilot’s motive.

He described the attacker as suicidal and said the available indications suggested he intended to bring down the aircraft with passengers on board.

PASSENGERS HELPED SUBDUE THE ATTACKER

According to Netanyahu’s account, the incident posed a serious threat to the passenger aircraft travelling towards Tel Aviv.

He credited the Indian pilot, the Israeli passenger and others on board with intervening during the confrontation and helping prevent the aircraft from being brought down.

The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the co-pilot’s motives, possible radicalisation and any potential links to other individuals or countries, remain under investigation.