Flydubai pilot confessed to planning Ben Gurion attack, official says

A pilot who allegedly attempted to bring down an Israel-bound flight had planned a 9/11-style attack by crashing into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, a Middle Eastern official told NBC News. The pilot, identified as Hamman al Hamami, confessed to investigators on Monday. The Omani citizen attacked his fellow pilot with a crash ax during the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, causing the plane to plummet 14,000 feet in 29 seconds before being subdued. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia, and al-Hamami was transferred to the UAE for questioning. The incident has raised concerns about security failures, as reports indicate al-Hamami had previously been banned from flying by Oman over radical ideological views. Israeli and U.S. officials are reviewing aviation security procedures in response.