By RAHUL DIXIT :

 

 

DETAILS emerging from the investigation of Flydubai’s Omani co-pilot Hammam alHammami are terrifying. He was planning mass casualties after seizing control of the flight by neutralising Captain Smit Machchhar. It was a meticulously planned sinister plot timed just ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The timing cannot be dismissed as a mere coincidence despite the lone wolf attack planned by the Omani co-pilot. It was a properly designed strategy to keep the scourge of terrorism alive. The non-State actors are still active, altering security dynamics not only in the disturbed West Asian region but gradually spreading tentacles in outer limits. Israel’s profound gratitude towards Indian Captain Smit Machchhar finds perfect perspective against the backdrop of the attack planned by his co-pilot.

 

He not only saved 174 lives on the flight but thousands on the ground had al-Hammami succeeded in his plan to storm into the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. It was a daring terror attack aimed at inflicting severe pain on Israel and severing its principal air connection with the outside world. Details of his interrogation have revealed that the Omani pilot had been preparing for this act long before he joined Flydubai. He researched airlines flying to Tel Aviv, gathered information and considered carrying out attacks in the past but postponed them due to a crisis of confidence. Hammami’s target was not only the aircraft but also one of the worst terror attacks in the history of Israel. The catastrophe was averted by the brave Indian captain who put his life on line and opened the cockpit door to let passengers take control of the nose-diving flight. The Flydubai episode serves as a chilling reminder to the world that while direct wars between armed forces of two countries are still considered the most effective tool to finish an enemy, the nonState actors continue to thrive and inflict damage in their covert operations. What the Hamas did on October 7, 2023 to Israel was a glimpse of how powerful terror proxies have become with secret funding and unhindered supply of weapons.

 

That Hamas managed to put up a fight against the all-powerful Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) for almost three years proves that ideological or religious adversaries still hold enough to keep the non-State actors armed for a long fight. Today, Middle-East and West Asia is witnessing a resurgence of non-State proxy actors even as the US-Iran war rages on with no signs of a peace deal. Despite the crackdown on their bases by Israeli forces in neighbouring countries, the Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, the Hezbollah in Lebanon and their offshoots have managed to sustain themselves. They are now posing serious security threats to West Asia, severely affecting geopolitical equations and bilateral relations. Saudi Arabia is taking the brunt of attacks by terror proxies while its security partners are still interpreting the script of the pact they signed with a vow to stand by each other in times of military crisis. The non-State actors are gaining foothold and that is the real danger to the world right now. Despite having the most agile military and crack teams with modern technology at disposal, Israel has failed to completely uproot the non-State actors. Similar stories are available in abundance in other parts of the world as terrorists continue to enjoy safe haven provided by enemies of a State.

 

While the top powers continue to search for military solutions to settle their scores with political or economic adversaries, they are ignoring the dangers beneath the surface. The nonState proxies are finding their targets, radicalising their thinking, and turning innocent faces into tomorrow’s security threat. The Flydubai air scare was the latest reminder of the dangers ahead. Israel should consider itself extremely lucky to survive a 9/11 like disaster. A brave act by a clearthinking human helped it escape a catastrophe. However, a Captain Smit would not be available every time against an indoctrinated individual. The civil society is still not ready to counter radicalised individuals. Internal security dynamics have forced Governments to raise safeguards to deal with terror threats but its roots are still holding firm in different forms. Fanaticism is thriving in the garb of religion and political vultures are ready to pounce upon the radicalised section to run their own agenda. It is true for every country in the world. India, too, is confronting threats from non-State proxies breeding in Pakistan. The Pahalgam carnage was part of the same strategy that terror groups are using in the Middle-East.

 

The Jihadi snake is relentless in raising its head in Jammu & Kashmir, sometimes indulging in targeted killings of civilians and sometimes targeting the military personnel. Extremist Islamist movement remains a continuous threat for India. It will appear through different organisations, networks, and individuals, which directs violence towards civilian societies. The malady of Islamic radicalism has to be dealt with absolute ferocity. Jihadi terror deserves no sympathy, no mercy. It is a malignancy grown on the deadly ideology of hate, violence and terror. The Flydubai incident was an alarm not only for Israel but also for India which is fighting a daily battle with non-State actors. The incident has shown that the danger is lurking around India, right next door. It is a continuous battle which now demands proactive response from the civil society. The face of danger is right among the crowd, unarmed but extremely grave. It needs to be identified, and reported, and tackled, as Captain Smit Machchhar did in the air.