DOMINANT ANGLE
Ottawa is first examining the security breaches: the recruitment of the copilot at Flydubai and Israeli screening, based on AP and Reuters reports.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Emirati Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi speaks of an attempted "terrorist act" with the cockpit emergency axe on flight FZ1073.
- 02
The presumed co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani, was allegedly rejected by Oman due to extremist views before being hired by Flydubai, according to anonymous sources.
- 03
According to AP, the case raises questions about Flydubai's employee screening and Israeli security protocols, as Israel and Oman have no diplomatic relations.
ANALYSIS
Ottawa, October 4, 2026. The Canadian press, which largely relies on dispatches from the Associated Press and Reuters, initially treated the Flydubai FZ1073 flight incident as a security breach. The Attorney General of the Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated on Saturday, October 3, in a statement relayed by the state agency, that the co-pilot had "attempted to commit a terrorist act": according to him, he attacked the commander in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft on Wednesday, September 30.
CBC and the Globe and Mail note that these are the first comments from Emirati investigators to mention an attempted attack. Global News, via AP, mentions 182 people on board and an aircraft in rapid descent before passengers and others subdued the assailant. The co-pilot is believed to be Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani, identified by three people on condition of anonymity, including a Gulf diplomat and a Western diplomat. Neither the Emirates nor the airline has publicly confirmed this. A Gulf diplomat indicates that the investigation is seeking to determine whether he acted as a "lone wolf" or with extremist links.
The dispatches emphasize recruitment: according to an informed person, Oman had excluded him from its flights due to his extremist views before Flydubai, a company owned by the Dubai government, hired him. AP writes that these elements "raise questions" about the company's verification of candidates and how he was able to fly to Israel, which says it has agreements with foreign carriers to exclude pilots from countries without diplomatic relations, which is the case with Oman. AP also recalls that the incident occurs a week before the anniversary of October 7, 2023, and before elections where security is central.
The Toronto Sun takes a more militant tone. In a column by Warren Kinsella, it recounts the episode as a heroic tale: Indian commander Smit Machchhar, three passengers who subdue the assailant, and then the landing in Saudi Arabia by two reserve pilots. The text focuses mainly on the anti-Semitic reactions online after the incident.
The Globe and Mail specifies that the investigation, including motivations, is ongoing and that its conclusions will be published once the "necessary procedures" are completed. Oman has not commented.
SOURCES (4)
- Globe and MailMEDIUM
- Toronto SunMEDIUM
- Global NewsMEDIUM
