Dubai: The co-pilot accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, according to sources cited by CNN. Saudi state media has also identified the suspect by the same name.

Al-Hammami reportedly worked for flydubai for about eight months before the September 30 incident. The Boeing 737 Max 8 was en route to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar, triggering a steep descent. Passengers and crew eventually restrained the suspect, while other pilots on board helped regain control of the aircraft. The flight was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Previous career at Oman Air
Al-Hammami's earlier career has come under scrutiny following the incident. Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN that he had previously been removed from a pilot-training role at Oman Air because of concerns over his alleged extremist views. A regional diplomatic source said he was subsequently assigned another role at the airline. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law-enforcement officials, separately reported that al-Hammami had been identified as a security concern while training as a co-pilot in 2024 after allegedly being found with extremist material.

His LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted, listed around seven years at Oman Air, ending in February 2025. It also showed a stint with Morocco's Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 to January 2026. The profile did not mention flydubai, although a source confirmed to CNN that it belonged to the pilot involved in the incident.

According to sources cited by CNN, al-Hammami was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother and spent several years in the UAE. He studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in England and completed a three-year distance-learning course in 2023.

Social media activity under scrutiny
Deleted social media accounts linked to the suspect have also become part of the investigation. CNN reported that posts appearing on a LinkedIn account bearing al-Hammami's name shortly after the incident included cockpit footage of a Boeing 737 Max and images of figures associated with al-Qaeda. The account was subsequently deleted. CNN said it was unclear who uploaded the posts or whether they had been scheduled in advance.

CNN also reported that an analysis of a deleted Twitter account associated with al-Hammami found posts expressing rigid views on women's clothing, employment and mixed-gender workplaces. The account reportedly contained nearly 3,000 posts from 2021 and 2022. These online posts and the reports about his earlier employment history are being examined as investigators try to establish what led to the attack.

Investigation into possible motive
The United Arab Emirates has opened an investigation into whether the incident involved terrorist activity, prior planning or direction by others. Israeli authorities are also investigating the incident.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said al-Hammami appeared to have undergone what he described as "Islamist radical indoctrination". However, investigators have not publicly established a definitive motive, and the claims about his ideological background remain part of the ongoing investigation.

The case has also raised questions about how information from his previous employment and alleged security concerns was considered during subsequent aviation hiring. Oman Air, Royal Air Maroc and flydubai have not publicly provided a full account of the suspect's employment history in connection with the investigation.