Al Qaeda has reportedly called for copycat attacks targeting Americans and Israeli airliners, invoking the September 11 attacks while praising the alleged hijacker of a Dubai-bound flydubai flight over “crash attempt”.
Israeli airline El Al aircraft sit on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion Airport near the city of Lod on October 2, 2026. (AFP)
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The call, according to the New York Post, appeared in the latest edition of al-Bayan, a weekly publication launched in July by supporters of Al Qaeda.
“The war isn’t over yet – planes carrying Zionists, Americans and all the other infidels fighting against Islam are still hovering in the skies and can be targeted, as happened on September 11th and 30th,” the Arabic-language publication's article threatened.
‘America will end’
Deep Dive
What were the main reasons behind Al Qaeda's call for copycat attacks on US and Israeli planes?
Al Qaeda called for copycat attacks as they believe the war isn't over, referencing the September 11 attacks while targeting planes carrying Americans and Israelis, whom they view as 'infidels' opposing Islam.
How did the Omani co-pilot's radical views manifest on social media before the flydubai incident?
The Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, posted violent and misogynistic comments on social media, advocating for violence against women and expressing extremist ideologies, which raised concerns about his radicalization.
What investigations are being conducted regarding the attempted hijacking of the flydubai flight?
Investigations are focusing on determining whether the attempted hijacking by al-Hammami was connected to terrorist activity, including scrutiny of his social media, employment history, and the circumstances of his recruitment by flydubai.
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“America and the Zionists have far more enemies today than before,” it said. “Perhaps a man who does not believe in God will target them and his operation will ultimately benefit Islam,” the NYP report quoted the latest edition of al-Bayan as saying.
The publication added: “The day will come when the empire of evil America will end.”
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The post was being circulated on Al Qaeda-linked Telegram channels on Saturday before it was apparently taken down.
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The post was being circulated on Al Qaeda-linked Telegram channels on Saturday before it was apparently taken down.
One of the posts, according to CNN, featured clips from inside the cockpit, with footage appearing to zoom in on nearby Israeli aircraft. It then showed photographs of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al Qaeda chief who succeeded Osama bin Laden and was killed in 2022.
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The video also featured Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who was responsible for a 2009 suicide bombing that killed nine people, including seven American CIA officers and contractors. Al-Balawi was loyal to Al Qaeda, the report added.
A second LinkedIn post reportedly showed an AI-generated image of Islam’s three holiest sites — Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem — connected by a continuous glowing trail.
The posts appeared on the alleged hijacker's LinkedIn and Instagram accounts while al-Hammami was already in custody. It remains unclear who published the posts or whether they had been scheduled in advance.
Both accounts were subsequently deleted, CNN reported.
Priyanshu Priya is a journalist with nearly three years of newsroom experience, driven by a deep belief that stories, when told right, can shape conversations and hold power to account. Currently working as a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times, she writes on a wide spectrum of issues, from Indian politics and Delhi’s public concerns to global trade tensions and high-stakes crime stories. Priya joined HT at a pivotal moment, as Operation Sindoor was unfolding, and has since covered some of the most defining developments in recent times. Her reporting spans the Air India plane crash and the Pahalgam terror attack to India–US trade tensions, unrest in the Middle East, and key Assembly elections across states. She thrives in the fast-paced world of breaking news. In 2025–26, she was recognised with the Hindustan Times Digi Journo of the Q3 Award for driving over 4 million page views in a single month. A postgraduate in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and a Mass Communication graduate from Patna Women’s College, Priya began her news career with the Zee News English team, where she extensively covered the Lok Sabha Election 2024, along with the Delhi and Maharashtra Assembly elections. When she’s not tracking or writing the next big development, she unwinds by watching series and films, reading books with strong female protagonists, and revisiting comfort shows for the familiar ease they bring when life feels a little too jittery.
Get the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.
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Home/World News/‘War isn’t over’: Al-Qaeda calls for ‘copycat attacks’ on US, Israeli planes after flydubai plot
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