Attack on flydubai flight: Crew wanted co-pilot to be freed, reveal passengers 

DUBAI: The passengers revealed that the crew of the flydubai flight wanted the co-pilot identified as Hamam al-Hammami, who stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe in an attempt to bring down the plane, to be freed. However, the passengers said they were firm that he would not be released under any circumstances and that he would be handed over only to the police.

Passenger Tsvika Manes said some crew asked for the co-pilot, who had been restrained, to be untied. The crew were asking to release the terrorist. They were saying to free the terrorist and we got suspicious of them, said real estate professional Daniel Schlichter, who was sitting close to the cockpit.

They said, ‘You are not God; you are not ging to kill him,’ recalled Manes.

A dispute broke out between the crew and passengers after the former demanded the release of the co-pilot. After the situation came under control, the cabin crew asked passengers to return to their seats, but the passengers refused.

Meantime, Israeli based news channel i24NEWS released a video showing passengers insisting that the co-pilot be handed over only to the police. The 45-second video shows the co-pilot kneeling with bloodstained clothes. The passengers can repeatedly be heard saying, ‘just police and only police.’