Strong retaliation if Flydubai incident found to have Iranian links, says Trump; investigation underway

NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump has alleged that the Omani co-pilot, who attacked the captain of the Flydubai flight and created an atmosphere of fear, had links to Iran. Trump warned that if the incident, which he described as an attempted terrorist attack, is found to have an Iranian connection, Iran could face a strong retaliatory response.

Trump made the remarks while responding to the media. Asked whether he had been informed that the pilot of the Flydubai flight had links to Iran, Trump said, ‘I can answer that. From what I have heard, there is a connection. We are investigating it’. He had earlier said that the incident could have been an attempted terrorist attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had alleged that the Omani pilot who attacked the pilot-in-command of the Flydubai flight was influenced by extremist ideology. In an exclusive interview with an international media, he said the pilot had been given the opportunity to operate the flight to Tel Aviv because of a failure in the vetting process.

Netanyahu added that this had become evident from information gathered about the Omani pilot. He also said the pilot may have been attempting to bring down the aircraft and that, after being subdued, the man shouted, ‘kill me’. The Israeli prime minister said an investigation would establish within a few days whether the Omani pilot had any links to Iran.

The incident took place aboard a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv in Israel. Of the 174 passengers on board, 170 were Israeli nationals. The Omani co-pilot attacked Indian-origin captain Smit Machchhar and was subdued by passengers who rushed into the cockpit. He has been arrested. Smit Machchhar, who successfully defended himself against the attack, was praised by leaders of several countries.