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FlyDubai co-pilot accused of plotting to crash jet into Israeli target

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 8 outlets across the spectrum.

16 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Authorities say Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani co-pilot on FlyDubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, attacked pilot Smit Machhar with a cockpit crash axe on Sept. 30 before passengers helped retake the plane. Israeli officials say Hammami planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, while some reports say he also considered the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv. Investigators believe he planned the attack for months, possibly before joining the airline, though The Guardian reports he may have originally intended to act in July. CBS News reported that Israel scrambled jets and was prepared to shoot the plane down if necessary. The flight carried more than 180 people, most of them Israeli.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked pilot Smit Machhar with a cockpit crash axe during FlyDubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30.

    Reported byLeftRight

  2. Hammami intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, officials say.

    Reported byLeftRight

  3. Some reports say Hammami also considered flying the plane into the Azrieli Towers near Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

    Reported byLeftRight

  4. Investigators believe the attack was planned months in advance, possibly before Hammami was hired by FlyDubai.

    Reported byLeftRight

  5. Israeli sources say fighter jets were scrambled and prepared to shoot down the flight if necessary.

    Reported byLeft

Show 2 more pointsShow fewer points

  1. Pilot Smit Machhar fought back and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to help regain control of the plane.

    Reported byLeftRight

  2. Social media posts attributed to Hammami calling for harsh treatment of women were reported by investigators reviewing his online history.

    Reported byRight

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The specific target of the planned crash

    CBS News and The Guardian report officials saying the primary target was Ben Gurion Airport; the New York Post, citing The Times of London, reports the suspect intended to crash into the Azrieli Towers near Israeli military headquarters, with the airport as a backup option.

  • When the attack was first planned

    CBS News and the New York Post report Israeli officials saying Hammami planned the attack before he was hired by FlyDubai over a year ago; The Guardian reports investigators believe he may have originally planned to act in July, before postponing.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Left-side outlets, led by CBS News and The Guardian, focus on investigative details—security failures, the timeline of planning, and Israel's military readiness—without sensational language.

    Flydubai attack investigation widens as alleged hijacker’s training in New Zealand scrutinised
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    1 outlet

    Mantle’s analysis has no note on this side yet. One of its headlines is shown.

    Suspected Flydubai attacker received flight training in New Zealand
    Financial TimesCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    3 outlets · 1 opinion

    Right-side outlets, especially the opinion piece from The Western Journal, frame the suspect with more dramatic or identity-focused language, while the New York Post draws an explicit comparison to the 9/11 attacks.

    Fly the Jihadi Skies: Why Is This Pro-Jihad United Airlines Pilot Still on the Job?
    PJ MediaFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left1

    packed plane

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right4

    radicalizedWannabe9/11-like attackBashed in Head

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    packed planeMore neutral: plane carrying passengers

    Describes the plane in dramatic terms to heighten danger rather than stating passenger numbers.

    The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of trying to crash a packed plane planned the attack for months, and should never even have been cleared to fly to…

    Used byCBS News (Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    radicalizedMore neutral: co-pilot accused of planning an attack

    Asserts a conclusion about the suspect's ideological state as fact rather than an allegation.

    The radicalized flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing his pilot in an attempted mid-flight…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    WannabeMore neutral: Suspected

    Dismissive, informal label that pre-judges the suspect's competence and intent before trial.

    Wannabe flydubai hijacker planned to crash plane into Israeli tower in 9/11-like attack

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Sensational language

    9/11-like attackMore neutral: attack intended to crash the plane into a building

    Invokes a specific historic tragedy to amplify drama rather than describing the alleged plan factually.

    Wannabe flydubai hijacker planned to crash plane into Israeli tower in 9/11-like attack

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

Show 1 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Sensational language

    Bashed in HeadMore neutral: struck in the head

    Graphic, informal phrasing used for dramatic effect rather than a neutral description of the alleged assault.

    …Hijack Suspect Cited Quran, Repeatedly Called for Women to Be Abused, Slapped, Bashed in Head

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

4 outlets

Leads with

  • security failures that preceded the incident
  • investigative timeline of the plot
  • Israel's military preparedness

Leaves out

  • Hammami's social media posts about women
  • comparison to the Azrieli Towers or a 9/11-style plan

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

1 outlet
See the headline from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

3 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • comparison to a 9/11-style attack
  • suspect's religious identity and online statements
  • radicalization narrative

Leaves out

  • Israel's preparation to shoot down the plane
  • detailed timeline suggesting the plot was postponed from July

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    CBS News, Oct 5, 12:01 PM EDT

  • Center

    15 hr 15 min later

    Its first report, Oct 6, 3:16 AM EDT

  • Right

    39 min later

    Its first report, Oct 5, 12:39 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. CBS NewsLeftOct 5, 12:01 PM EDT
  2. New York PostRightOct 5, 12:39 PM EDT
  3. The GuardianLeftOct 5, 2:00 PM EDT
  4. Financial TimesCenterOct 6, 3:16 AM EDT
  5. The IndependentLeftOct 6, 6:37 AM EDT
  6. NBC NewsLeftOct 6, 8:16 AM EDT
  7. The Daily WireFar RightOct 6, 10:05 AM EDT
  8. PJ MediaFar RightOct 6, 10:39 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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