A Flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing his captain during an incident on a flight told investigators he had planned an attack before being hired by the airline, according to two Israeli officials familiar with the probe. Multiple outlets report the account as coming from the interrogations conducted by UAE authorities.

The reports also say investigators are examining the co-pilot’s prior travel and career history, including earlier trips involving Israel. One additional claim, cited by some outlets, is that the same co-pilot previously operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and had considered hijacking and crashing the plane at that time, but decided against carrying it out.

Across coverage, the core points remain consistent: the alleged plan dates to before he joined Flydubai, and authorities are seeking context on intent, possible connections, and whether the co-pilot acted alone or had other involvement. Details beyond that—such as the full scope of any alleged prior targeting—vary by outlet and by what sources are described as being aware of.