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UAE says flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 15 outlets across the spectrum.

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

Flydubai jet parked on airport apron beside another airliner, city skyline behind.
Image via The New York TimesHow images are chosenReport this image

UAE officials say the co-pilot of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv planned a suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international airport near Tel Aviv. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot, identified in reports as Hamam al-Hammami, tried to seize control of flight FZ1073 on September 30 and planned to crash it into the airport’s passenger terminal. Officials said he was inspired by the September 11 attacks and had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to learn the route. Officials also said he had spent years developing extremist views before the attempt.

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. UAE officials say the co-pilot of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to seize control of the aircraft on September 30.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Far Right
    Breitbart News, The Daily Wire

  2. UAE prosecutors say the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot planned a suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft4Center4Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera English, The Guardian
    Center
    Sky News, France 24, Deutsche Welle, Financial Times
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Breitbart News, The Daily Wire, One America News

  3. The UAE attorney general said the co-pilot was inspired by the September 11 attacks.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft2Center2Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times, The Washington Post
    Center
    France 24, Financial Times
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Breitbart News, The Daily Wire, One America News

  4. UAE officials say the co-pilot spent years becoming radicalized and used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to learn the route.

    Reported byLeft1Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The New York Times
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Breitbart News, The Daily Wire

  5. The Daily Wire reports, citing UAE investigators, that the co-pilot began radicalizing as a student in Melbourne, Australia, where he fell in with people tied to an Islamic center he claimed was backed by a Muslim Brotherhood-linked group.

    One outletThe Daily Wire· Far Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    4 outlets

    Left-side headlines lead with the alleged plan and attribute it to UAE officials (“UAE says”, “prosecutors say”, “Emiratis say”), with the New York Times and Washington Post stressing the 9/11 comparison.

    Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Israeli airport, UAE prosecutors say
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    6 outlets

    Center headlines state the alleged plan and attribute it to UAE officials, with Sky News calling the co-pilot an alleged hijacker and Deutsche Welle attributing the claim to a UAE official.

    Flydubai attacker began a 'drift towards extremism and terrorism' in Australia, UAE says
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    5 outlets

    Right-side headlines split between attributed and flat statements of the plot: the Daily Wire calls the co-pilot a “Terrorist Hijacker” and OAN drops attribution entirely, while Breitbart and the New York Post attribute the claims to UAE officials, and the New York Post text is an Associated Press report.

    Flydubai suspends Israeli flights ‘until further notice’ following failed terror plot
    New York PostRightAll 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.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    plotted the 9/11-inspired suicide attackrevealedTerrorist Hijacker

In the outlets’ own words

  • Absolutist framing

    plotted the 9/11-inspired suicide attackMore neutral: was accused by the UAE of planning a suicide attack inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks

    States the UAE's claim about the plot as settled fact in the outlet's own voice instead of attributing it to officials.

    Hammam al Hammami plotted the 9/11-inspired suicide attack before he was ultimately thwarted by the other pilot and several…

    Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    revealedMore neutral: said

    “Revealed” presents an official allegation as a disclosed truth rather than as a claim the UAE made.

    The United Arab Emirates revealed Friday that the co-pilot behind the September 30 attempted hijacking of an…

    Used byBreitbart News (Far Right)

  • Dehumanizing label

    Terrorist HijackerMore neutral: Co-pilot accused of planning 9/11-style attack on Israeli airport

    Labels the suspect a terrorist and hijacker as established fact, although the charges are the UAE’s allegations.

    Terrorist Hijacker Planned 9/11-Style Attack On Israeli Airport

    Used byThe Daily Wire (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

  • planned suicide attack on Israel’s airport
  • 9/11 inspiration
  • attribution to UAE officials
  • years of extremism

Leaves out

  • claims about radicalization in Melbourne, Australia
  • the co-pilot’s two earlier flights to Tel Aviv

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

See the 4 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The GuardianLeft

    Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Israeli airport, UAE prosecutors say

    Hammam al-Hammami is believed to have been targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv The co-pilot who tried to seize control of a passenger jet flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week was planning to launch a suicide attack targeting the passenger …

    Read at The Guardian (opens in a new tab)
  • Al Jazeera EnglishLeft

    Flydubai co-pilot plotted ‘suicide’ attack on Israel, UAE says

    Attorney General says suspect admitted he acted alone after preparing psychologically and physically for the attack.

    Read at Al Jazeera English (opens in a new tab)
  • The Washington PostLeft

    FlyDubai co-pilot planned 9/11-style attack on Israel’s main airport, UAE says

    Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national, intended to cause “the greatest possible number of human casualties,” the Emirati attorney general said.

    Read at The Washington Post (opens in a new tab)
  • The New York TimesLeft

    Attacker in FlyDubai Flight Meant to Crash Into Israeli Airport, Emiratis Say

    The attorney general of the United Arab Emirates said that the co-pilot had been inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks after years of descending into extremism.

    Read at The New York Times (opens in a new tab)

From the center

6 outlets

Leads with

  • planned crash or suicide attack on Tel Aviv airport
  • attribution to UAE prosecutors or officials
  • 9/11 inspiration

Leaves out

  • claims about radicalization in Melbourne, Australia
  • the co-pilot’s two earlier flights to Tel Aviv

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

See the 6 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • BBC NewsCenter

    Flydubai attacker began a 'drift towards extremism and terrorism' in Australia, UAE says

    The United Arab Emirates' attorney-general also alleges the co-pilot was trying to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's airport.

    Read at BBC News (opens in a new tab)
  • The HillCenter

    UAE says Flydubai suspect intended to crash plane into Tel Aviv airport

    The Flydubai co-pilot who attacked the plane’s captain with an axe last month intended to crash the aircraft into a passenger terminal at an Israeli airport, according to authorities in the United Arab Emirates. …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
  • Financial TimesCenter

    Flydubai co-pilot planned 9/11-style attack on Tel Aviv airport, UAE says

    Chief prosecutor says aviator aimed to cause ‘the greatest possible loss of life’

    Read at Financial Times (opens in a new tab)
  • Deutsche WelleCenter

    UAE: Omani Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack

    A Flydubai co-pilot planned to crash a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight into the terminal at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, according to a UAE official.

    Read at Deutsche Welle (opens in a new tab)
  • France 24Center

    🔴 FlyDubai co-pilot planned suicide attack on Tel Aviv airport, inspired by 9/11, UAE prosecutor says

    The Omani co-pilot who attacked the captain of FlyDubai flight 1073 had planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's international airport in a suicide attack, the United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor said Friday. …

    Read at France 24 (opens in a new tab)
  • Sky NewsCenter

    Flydubai co-pilot planned to crash aircraft into Ben Gurion airport, UAE says

    The UAE attorney general has said the alleged hijacker of a flydubai plane planned to crash into Israel's Ben Gurion airport.

    Read at Sky News (opens in a new tab)

From the right

5 outlets

Leads with

  • co-pilot as a terrorist hijacker
  • 9/11 inspiration and years of extremism
  • Melbourne radicalization and Muslim Brotherhood-linked group
  • Israel and Oman lacking normal relations
See the 6 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRight

    Flydubai suspends Israeli flights ‘until further notice’ following failed terror plot

    The suspension follows the Sept. 30 crisis aboard Flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Israel when its Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, 29, allegedly attacked Capt. Smit Machchhar with a cockpit crash axe.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • One America NewsFar Right

    Flydubai co-pilot intended to crash plane into Tel Aviv Airport, inspired by 9/11

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities reported that a Flydubai co-pilot intentionally planned to crash an aircraft into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

    Read at One America News (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily WireFar Right

    Dehumanizing label“Terrorist Hijacker”Labels the suspect a terrorist and hijacker as established fact, although the charges are the UAE’s allegations.More neutral: Co-pilot accused of planning 9/11-style attack on Israeli airportDisagree with this highlight? Planned 9/11-Style Attack On Israeli Airport

    The Omani co-pilot accused of trying to hijack an Israel-bound passenger plane began radicalizing as a student in Melbourne, Australia, where he fell in with people tied to an Islamic center he claimed was backed by a Muslim Brotherhood-linked group, United Arab Emirates …

    Read at The Daily Wire (opens in a new tab)
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    UAE Attorney‑General Says Flydubai Co‑Pilot Plotted 9/11‑Style ‘Suicide Attack’ on Ben Gurion Airport

    The United Arab Emirates Loaded verb“revealed”“Revealed” presents an official allegation as a disclosed truth rather than as a claim the UAE made.More neutral: saidDisagree with this highlight? Friday that the co-pilot behind the September 30 attempted hijacking of an Israel-bound passenger jet had spent years preparing to carry out a September 11-inspired suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport, intending to crash the aircraft into a …

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    Flydubai hijacker planned to crash plane into Ben Gurion Airport, UAE says

    The Omani Flydubai co-pilot who hijacked a passenger plane last week planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion International Airport in central Israel, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al Shamsi said on Friday. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRightAssociated Press report

    Flydubai co-pilot was inspired by 9/11 when he planned to crash into Israeli airport terminal: officials

    Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami reportedly “drew inspiration” from the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and used two previous flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv to “familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport.”

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

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

    3 hr 11 min later

    Its first report, Oct 9, 3:40 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    Sky News, Oct 9, 12:30 PM EDT

  • Right

    2 hr 24 min later

    Its first report, Oct 9, 2:53 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Sky NewsCenterOct 9, 12:30 PM EDT
  2. France 24CenterOct 9, 1:09 PM EDT
  3. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 9, 2:23 PM EDT
  4. New York PostRightOct 9, 2:53 PM EDT
  5. Washington ExaminerRightOct 9, 3:22 PM EDT
  6. The New York TimesLeftOct 9, 3:40 PM EDT
  7. The Washington PostLeftOct 9, 4:00 PM EDT
  8. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 9, 4:13 PM EDT
  9. Financial TimesCenterOct 9, 4:27 PM EDT
  10. The GuardianLeftOct 9, 4:38 PM EDT
  11. The HillCenterOct 9, 6:31 PM EDT
  12. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 9, 8:21 PM EDT
  13. BBC NewsCenterOct 10, 12:34 AM EDT
  14. The Daily WireFar RightOct 10, 7:30 AM EDT
  15. One America NewsFar RightOct 10, 1:40 PM EDT

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

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