According to a report by the New York Post, the global terrorist organization Al-Qaeda has officially praised the recent attempted attack on a FlyDubai flight. In a chilling article, the group compared the incident to the catastrophic September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Al-Qaeda asserted that aircraft carrying those they label as infidels are still traversing the skies and remain viable targets for future operations.
The Al-Bayan Publication and the Call for Terror
The New York Post report highlights that Al-Qaeda referenced the September 11 attacks while celebrating the alleged hijacking attempt on a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv. The group has issued a direct call for similar strikes targeting American and Israeli airliners. This appeal was reportedly published in the latest issue of Al-Bayan, a weekly publication launched by Al-Qaeda supporters in July. The content was shared across the group's Telegram channels before being removed on Saturday.
The article specifically mentioned the 9/11 attacks and the attempt to seize control of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 on September 30. This particular flight was carrying more than 170 passengers and crew members, the majority of whom were Israelis. The aircraft was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred, while according to the New York Post, the article, written in Arabic, incited followers to carry out attacks on planes transporting Americans and Israelis.
Threats Against the United States and Israel
The Arabic-language article stated that the war isn't over and that planes carrying Zionists, Americans, and all other infidels fighting against Islam are still in the sky and can be targeted, just as they were on September 11 and September 30. The text further claimed that America and the Zionists have more enemies today than ever before. It suggested that even someone who doesn't believe in God might target them, and such an operation would ultimately benefit Islam. The publication concluded with the ominous prediction that the day will come when the empire of evil America will end.
Comparison to the September 11 Attacks
Reports indicate that the publication included a photograph of a plane striking the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks, alongside another image related to the attempt to take over the FlyDubai flight. The New York Post reported that this content was circulated on Telegram channels associated with Al-Qaeda before it was taken down on Saturday.
Details of the FlyDubai Flight Incident
The incident involving FlyDubai flight FZ1073 occurred while the aircraft was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A man identified as Al-Hammami allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machhar using an emergency axe kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies. There were 174 people on board the aircraft at the time of the attack. During the struggle, the aircraft sent out an emergency message and began a rapid descent. The plane dropped from an altitude of approximately 34,000 feet to below 17,000 feet.
Captain Machhar was lying injured on the cockpit floor when he realized the aircraft was losing altitude. He also reportedly discovered that the co-pilot was preventing him from opening the cockpit door. Once Machhar managed to open the door, passengers on the flight reportedly subdued the attacker. Subsequently, two reserve pilots who were traveling on the flight entered the cockpit and took control of the aircraft. The plane was eventually landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Al-Hammami was taken into custody.