Dubai: The Omani co-pilot, whose mid-air attack on Indian pilot Smit Machchhar on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight endangered the lives of 180 passengers, had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we’re gathering from the information, his personal information,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu also said investigators were looking into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
He revealed that Israel will question the co-pilot and probe any possible Iran angle, he told Fox News.
“We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices and whether Iran was behind it. I think we’ll find out very soon,” Netanyahu said.
“We’ll be following and possibly also participating in this investigation,” he added.
Israel apart, the the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also investigating whether the bloodied attack on the Indian pilot was an attempted hijacking or a terrorist incident.
The UAE’s ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday a probe had been ordered into the stabbing incident and potential crash attempt of the flydubai flight.
A team will be formed to investigate the circumstances and cause of the incident, given that the aircraft was registered in the country and bears its flag. Any possible ‘terror’ link will also be examined.
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