Al Qaeda called for attacks on US and Israeli airliners in a vile post referencing 9/11 and praising the Dubai hijacker – whose social media accounts shared photos of one of the terror group’s leaders.
This appeal appears to appear Friday in the latest edition of al-Bayan, a weekly launched in July by supporters of Al-Qaeda, which discusses both the September 11 attacks and Wednesday’s attempted takeover of Flydubai flight FZ1073.
“The war is not yet over: planes carrying Zionists, Americans and all other infidels fighting against Islam still hover in the sky and can be targeted, as happened on September 11 and 30,” the Arabic-language article threatens.
The article included an image of a plane crashing into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, as well as an image referencing Wednesday’s attack on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
“America and the Zionists have many more enemies today than ever before,” the article said. “Maybe a man who doesn’t believe in God will target them and his operation will ultimately benefit Islam. »
He added: “The day will come when the American evil empire will end. »
The post’s Telegram channels appeared to spread the message on Saturday before it was apparently deleted.
Here is the latest on the alleged terrorist attack on a plane bound for Israel:
Terrorism expert Evan Kohlmann, who initially told the Post that the group appeared to be trying to capitalize on the Flydubai attack, said social media material linked to accused co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami added a significant new wrinkle.
“It’s interesting, if that’s accurate, then he’s probably not an ISIS supporter,” Kohlmann said.
“I think what strikes me most here is the reference to Humam al-Balawi. »
Around nine hours after Flydubai’s terror plot was foiled – while Hamam al-Hammami was already in custody – a series of posts appeared on his LinkedIn and Instagram accounts before both were deleted.
It remains unclear who posted these messages or whether they were scheduled in advance, CNN reported.
One featured cockpit video clips zooming in on a nearby Israeli plane before ending with an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaeda leader who succeeded Osama bin Laden and was killed in 2022.
The document also contained a reference to al-Balawi which caught Kohlmann’s attention.
Kohlmann described al-Balawi as a largely self-taught al-Qaeda supporter who first built a reputation on jihadist Internet forums before establishing direct ties to the terrorist group after becoming an intelligence asset for Jordan and, ultimately, the CIA.
Al-Balawi, a doctor, stunned intelligence officials when he carried out a suicide attack on behalf of al-Qaeda, Kohlmann said.
“It was a shock to everyone that someone with such a successful and professional background would blow himself up in the name of Al-Qaeda,” he said.
The reference could be significant because al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani pilot, also came from a professional aviation background and was believed to have displayed extremist material before Wednesday’s attack, according to reports.
Al-Hammami is accused of attacking the captain with a cockpit ax and trying to take control of the plane before crew members and passengers restrained him.
The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely after two other Flydubai pilots on board took control.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said Saturday that investigators had determined the co-pilot had “attempted to commit a terrorist act,” while authorities continue to investigate his motivations, possible links and digital evidence.
Israeli officials have separately claimed that al-Hammami had undergone Islamist radicalization. Channel 12 reported that he had been indoctrinated with “al-Qaeda ideology,” citing sources involved in the investigation.
Sources also claimed that extremist material was previously found on his phone while he was associated with Oman Air, leading to restrictions on his flying duties. Oman Air and Omani authorities have not publicly substantiated these claims.
The Transportation Security Administration, when asked about the Flydubai incident, told the Post it was monitoring developments but had not specifically responded to al-Qaeda’s call.
“TSA is aware of the security incident involving flyDubai and is closely monitoring the situation,” the agency said.
“The safety and security of passengers, employees and flight operations remain our highest priorities. We are coordinating with appropriate aviation, law enforcement and international partners to evaluate available information.”
Despite the al-Qaeda imagery and rhetoric that now surrounds this case, no public evidence has established that al-Hammami was acting on orders from the terrorist group.
The UAE’s investigation remains to determine whether al-Hammami had any outside ties or guidance.
Gn world
