Netanyahu Alleges Radicalization as UAE Opens Terror Probe into flydubai Cockpit Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the co-pilot accused of attacking a flydubai flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers had been subjected to what he described as "Islamist radical indoctrination." His remarks came as authorities in the United Arab Emirates launched a formal investigation that includes the possibility of "terrorist activity or intent," according to the UAE's chief prosecutor.

The captain and several passengers managed to subdue the suspect before the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The flight, which had been bound for Israel, was diverted to Tabuk, where the passengers were eventually transferred to another flydubai plane and flown home to a hero's welcome at Tel Aviv's airport.

Netanyahu, speaking in an interview with the "Fox & Friends" television program, said the co-pilot was being interrogated and asserted that the man had undergone radicalization. He did not provide further details to support the claim. The Israeli leader also characterized the suspect's behavior during the incident, saying the attacker called out to the aircrew, "Kill me, kill me," which Netanyahu said made it clear the man was suicidal.

The Israeli premier credited the flight's captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, along with the passengers, with preventing a catastrophe. According to Netanyahu's account, the co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane before being overpowered. The captain's identity was confirmed by Indian officials, and the Indian ambassador to the UAE later met with him. The embassy reported that Machchhar was in "good health and recovering well."

Saudi Arabia's interior ministry said the co-pilot had been transferred from the kingdom to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday morning, accompanied by an Emirati security team. The ministry added that its initial investigation indicated the suspect had attacked the plane's captain. The handover marked a significant step in the cross-border investigation, with multiple countries now involved in piecing together the sequence of events.

Passengers on board described a harrowing ordeal, recounting how they rushed the cockpit and fought for control after the plane suddenly plummeted. Data from the flight-tracking website Flightradar24 indicated the aircraft lost approximately 17,000 feet of altitude within the span of a minute. One passenger, Miryam Shira Ohayon, told reporters the plane was "pretty much out of control" as the incident unfolded over Jordan. She said the co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and carry out a suicide attack on the plane, adding that it was "really on the way to crashing" and that only the resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot prevented a disaster.

Flydubai has stated that all passengers were safe, though the airline said the reasons for the altercation remained unknown. According to media reports, 166 of the 174 passengers on board were Israeli. The airline has not commented publicly on the allegations of radicalization or terrorism. The carrier's response has focused on confirming the safe outcome and cooperating with authorities.

Israeli officials have labeled the incident an attempted terrorist attack. However, in an earlier interview with CBS News, Netanyahu had not ruled out the possibility that mental health issues may have played a role. The mixed signals from Israeli officials reflect the delicate nature of the investigation, which must balance security concerns with the need for a thorough examination of the suspect's motives and background.

Netanyahu told Fox News that a disaster similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks, which he described as leaving "bodies scattered in the desert," had been averted. He said he expected the United Arab Emirates to take the lead in the investigation but confirmed that Israel would join the probe. The involvement of multiple governments underscores the geopolitical sensitivity of the case, given the rare cooperation between Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

The Israeli prime minister also raised questions about how the co-pilot was able to work on a flight bound for Israel. He identified the suspect as an Omani national and said Israel would examine the circumstances that allowed him to serve on such a route. "We have constraints that say that you can't have pilots from countries that don't have diplomatic relations with Israel," Netanyahu said. "Obviously he was able to go through that. How do we make sure that we screen pilots in advance?" He noted that the pilots who later collected the passengers from Saudi Arabia had undergone background checks.

Reaction from Israel's political leadership was swift and pointed. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the incident a "jihadist" attack. Defense Minister Israel Katz similarly described it as an attempted jihadist terror attack. Their statements contrasted somewhat with the more cautious language used by Emirati authorities, who have so far only confirmed that a terror link is among the possibilities being examined.

The UAE's chief prosecutor announced the investigation on Thursday, saying it would look into whether the co-pilot acted with terrorist intent. The Emirati probe represents a critical component of the broader effort to establish a clear picture of the suspect's affiliations and state of mind. The fact that the UAE is leading the inquiry reflects its central role, as the flight originated from Dubai and the suspect was transferred to Emirati custody.

International figures also weighed in. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Captain Machchhar as a "HERO," praising his courage for helping to save lives. The captain's actions have been widely celebrated in India and beyond, with the Indian embassy in the UAE maintaining contact with him as he recovers. The recognition highlights the human dimension of the incident amid the complex diplomatic and security considerations.

The passengers who arrived back in Israel were greeted warmly, their safe return a relief after hours of uncertainty. The emergency landing in Tabuk and the subsequent transfer to Tel Aviv involved coordination between Saudi, Emirati, and Israeli authorities, an unusual arrangement given the lack of formal diplomatic ties between some of the countries involved. The incident has drawn attention to the security protocols governing international aviation, particularly on routes where crews may come from nations without normalized relations with the destination country.

As investigations proceed in both the UAE and Israel, key questions remain unanswered. The suspect's exact motivations, his potential links to extremist groups, and the adequacy of pre-flight screening procedures are all under scrutiny. The outcome of the dual probes is likely to influence aviation security policies and could have broader implications for regional cooperation on counterterrorism. For now, officials in multiple capitals are awaiting the results of interrogations and forensic analysis, while the passengers and crew who lived through the ordeal continue to recover from their experience.