Security agencies in 'overdrive' after attempted plane hijacking: Ex-FBI agent

Intelligence and law enforcement services across several countries are working at full intensity after a Flybe-style scare aboard FlyDubai Flight FZ1073, which was bound from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one of the pilots allegedly stabbed a fellow pilot and tried to bring the aircraft down with passengers aboard. The jet lost nearly 16,000 feet of altitude within two minutes and was diverted to Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. An Israeli official identified the suspect as an Omani national, and the suspect was arrested once the aircraft was on the ground, according to NewsNation.

Former FBI agent Chris Swecker, speaking on NewsNation's "On Balance," said cross-border probes run under treaties and usually see solid cooperation. He acknowledged that relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia can complicate matters, but he expects investigators to get the answers they need. Investigators, he said, should begin by treating the episode as terrorism while staying open-minded, then examine the suspect's finances, contacts, meetings, social media activity and the views of family and friends. He expects a fairly quick resolution of the motive question.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NewsNation’s reporting. Read the full story at NewsNation →