“He was excluded from an airline because of his extremism.” Sources reveal to Ofoq News new information about the suspect in the “Fly Dubai” incident.

- Informed sources revealed to Ofoq News Network that the pilot - suspected of assaulting another pilot on a Fly Dubai flight heading to Tel Aviv on Wednesday - was excluded from a previous job with the Omani national airline last year due to concerns related to his “extremist views.” A regional diplomatic source familiar with the case told Ofoq News that the suspect was excluded from a training program due to fears that he would adopt extremist ideas, noting that he was transferred to another job within the company.

Another source reported that the pilot is an Omani citizen, and that he was born in the Emirates to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, and spent many years of his life in the Emirates. An Israeli official also confirmed the identity of the pilot. The suspect was transferred from Saudi Arabia - where the plane landed - to the UAE, where he faces investigation on terrorism-related charges.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that there is a belief that the suspect underwent a process of "indoctrination into extremist Islamic ideas." An Israeli official told Ofoq News Network that the suspect worked for Flydubai for only 8 months, while a third source said that the alleged assailant previously worked for Royal Air Maroc.

This information is likely to raise concerns about the importance of background checks when hiring in the aviation sector. Ofoq News contacted Oman Air, Royal Air Maroc, and the Dubai Government Media Office to obtain a comment.

For its part, Flydubai stated that it could not make any comment as long as the incident was still under investigation. These new details leave unanswered questions about how an Omani citizen - knowing that the Sultanate of Oman does not recognize Israel - was allowed to work as a pilot on a flight bound for Tel Aviv, despite the strict security measures imposed by Israel in the field of aviation.

An Israeli official told Ofek News, on Wednesday, that several Israeli agencies - including the General Security Service, the Shin Bet, the Mossad Intelligence Service, the Army, and the Ministry of Transport - are conducting investigations to find out how the Omani pilot joined the flight crew.