The flydubai co-pilot who attacked his captain last week had planned the attack before he was hired by the airline. Two Israeli officials with knowledge of the probe told Reuters about his confession to UAE interrogators. A third source briefed on the UAE investigation confirmed the account.

The co-pilot, an Omani national identified as Hamam al-Hammami, attacked the captain of flydubai flight FZ1073 with an emergency crash axe. The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight was on September 30. The UAE prosecutor general has called the incident a terrorist attack.

The officials said the co-pilot had searched for airlines that fly to Tel Aviv before applying to flydubai. The third source said he had planned to crash the flight into Ben Gurion airport. He had also operated a Tel Aviv flight earlier this year and intended to act then but backed off.

Passengers and crew forced their way into the cockpit and subdued him. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. He is in UAE custody. Oman has not commented on the incident.