Hamam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai flight destined for Tel Aviv last Wednesday, has been linked to a series of extremist and violent social media posts expressing misogynistic and radical Islamist views. The attack, which involved Al Hammami seriously wounding the captain, Smit Machchhar, with an emergency axe before passengers and crew subdued him, caused the aircraft to rapidly lose 14,000 feet in under half a minute.
Al Hammami, who was studying for a three-year distance-learning degree in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the United Kingdom, reportedly posted numerous hateful and violent messages online between late 2021 and mid-2022. These posts included calls for severe Islamic punishments and advocates for violence against women. In several exchanges, he allegedly expressed that women should be “stomped on” and defended the use of physical violence as a form of control within relationships. Other comments reportedly compared a “pre-emptive slap” to Russia's military actions in Ukraine and disparaged women working in mixed-gender environments.
The co-pilot’s social media activity—largely traced to an account under the name “Pilot Hamam al-Hammami”—also included homophobic and anti-Semitic rhetoric. According to an Israeli official, Al Hammami’s posts revealed radicalization toward jihadist ideology and calls for violence against Jews. Images linked to al Qaeda leaders and materials apparently showing plots targeting Israeli aircraft were among content posted shortly after the attempted hijacking. The United Arab Emirates authorities, where Al Hammami is currently held, are investigating possible connections to extremist groups; he is reportedly cooperating with investigators.
Al Hammami’s history includes a prior ban from flying imposed by Oman’s national airline in 2024 amid concerns about radicalization. He was also granted an Australian student visa in 2014 and studied engineering in Melbourne before that visa was cancelled in 2019. Australian Federal Police have confirmed an ongoing multi-agency investigation into his activities, involving counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies.
Buckinghamshire New University stated its license to sponsor international students had been suspended by the UK Home Office on unrelated grounds connected to earlier recruitment practices. The university said no concerns were raised about Al Hammami during his enrollment, though it is now conducting a review in light of the emerging information.
Israeli officials have described the incident as an attempted jihadist terror attack, while UAE prosecutors have formally charged Al Hammami with attempting a terrorist act. The investigation into his motives and potential affiliations remains active as authorities in multiple countries collaborate to understand the full circumstances surrounding the attempted hijacking.