According to Sina Finance, an Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on a Dubai Air passenger jet on September 30 told a court in the United Arab Emirates that he had originally planned to fly the aircraft directly into Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Israeli sources said Hamam Al-Hamami chose to attack the captain while the plane was over Jordan and had planned to keep flying until it was close to Ben Gurion Airport, when Israeli military aircraft would not have time to intercept it, before crashing into the airport terminal. The injured captain forced open the cockpit door and thwarted the attempt.

Israeli sources said Al-Hamami told investigators that he had planned the attack before being hired by Dubai Air. He had studied which airlines operated flights to Tel Aviv and tried to apply before eventually being hired by Dubai Air.

According to UAE sources, the Dubai Air FZ1073 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 was involved in a security incident. The co-pilot was suspected of stabbing the captain with a knife in the cockpit, causing the aircraft to drop suddenly. After other crew members and passengers restrained the attacker, the crew regained control of the plane. The aircraft later diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.