Senior UAE official condemns flydubai incident as “terrorist act,” hails Indian pilot
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UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on Friday that the incident involving a flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv on Wednesday was a “serious terrorist act,” praising the courage of the Indian pilot who was assaulted by his co-pilot.
Gargash wrote in a post on X that the Indian pilot deserved “all appreciation,” saying he “embodied, in the face of a serious terrorist act and a potential catastrophe, the meaning of courage and responsibility. His professionalism and moral sense in the darkest circumstances make him a true hero.”
يستحق الطيار الهندي في "فلاي دبي" سميت ماتشهار كل التقدير، فقد جسّد في مواجهة عمل ارهابي خطير وكارثة محتملة معنى الشجاعة والمسؤولية. مهنيته وحسّه الأخلاقي في أحلك الظروف يجعلان منه بطلاً حقيقياً.
— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) October 2, 2026
بعيدا عن الاختزال السهل لما جرى أو تبني وترويج نظريات المؤامرة، تبقى اليقظة…
He added, “Far from the easy simplification of what happened or adopting and promoting conspiracy theories, vigilance and precaution remain necessary in confronting the risks of extremism and terrorism.”
It was the first time an Emirati official had described the incident as a “terrorist act.”
The UAE judiciary said on Thursday that it had launched an investigation into the aircraft incident, with the prosecutor-general ordering authorities to “verify whether it was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose, or whether there had been prior planning or direction.”
‘Israel’, meanwhile, said the co-pilot assaulted the captain in an attempt to take control of the aircraft and bring it down.
‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the co-pilot had “undergone radical Islamic indoctrination,” adding that the attacker shouted at crew members, “Kill me, kill me,” which “clearly shows that he was a suicide attacker.”
US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Thursday of a “very strong strike” if it was found to be involved in the aircraft incident, adding that he considered this possibility likely.
The circumstances and motives behind the assault remain under investigation.
According to passengers’ accounts, the co-pilot stabbed the captain in an attempt to bring down the aircraft.
However, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and restrain the attacker.
Smit Matchar, the captain who was assaulted, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday that he acted to protect the aircraft’s passengers after it made an emergency landing in the Saudi city of Tabuk.
“I was trying to save my life, but I knew I could not let all these [passengers] die,” Matchar told Modi in a video call, excerpts of which were posted on the prime minister’s social media accounts.
