NAIROBI, Kenya- A social media account linked to the co-pilot suspected of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight contained videos showing images of al-Qaeda figures, CNN has reported.
The posts appeared hours after the mid-air incident, but CNN said it was unclear who published them or whether they had been scheduled in advance.
CNN reported that a LinkedIn profile bearing the name Hamam al-Hammami showed cockpit videos filmed aboard a Boeing 737.
One clip zoomed in on an El Al aircraft at Dubai International Airport, while others showed planes belonging to Israeli airlines El Al and Arkia.
The video ended with images of former al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing that killed nine people, including seven CIA officers and contractors.
A second post featured an AI-generated image of Islamic holy sites and a poem about resisting humiliation and death.
Who published the posts remains unclear
The LinkedIn profile was later deleted.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that the profile belonged to the Flydubai pilot, but the network said it could not determine who published the two posts, which appeared about nine hours after the incident.
The same videos were also posted to an Instagram account with the same name and pictures before that account was deleted.
CNN said it had contacted LinkedIn and Meta for comment.
CNN also reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that al-Hammami had been removed from flight training at Oman Air after concerns about his views and was moved to an administrative role.
ABC News separately reported that officials said he had been found with extremist materials while training at the airline.
Those accounts have not been presented as final findings of the UAE-led investigation.
Probe into cockpit attack continues
The posts have emerged as investigators examine the attack aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30.
The UAE prosecutor general said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, describing the incident as an attempted terrorist act.
Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, and a reserve pilot took control.
The aircraft diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely.
The UAE says investigators are still examining the incident’s circumstances, possible motive, and any connections.
