The flydubai copilot accused of stabbing the captain and trying to hijack a flight bound for Israel has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national who sources said had previously been banned from flying by Oman over radicalization fears. He was arrested after the frightening attack on Wednesday.

Al-Hammami previously worked for Oman Air, but the airline let him go after radical ideology was found on his cell phone, according to sources familiar with the matter. Despite that history, he was hired by flydubai and assigned to the sensitive route linking the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

It was not immediately clear whether Oman shared its concerns about the pilot’s alleged radicalization with other countries or airlines. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported his name, detailed the lingering questions surrounding what other aviation authorities may have known.

During training for Oman’s national airline, al-Hammami was reportedly moved into another position within the company because of concerns that he held radical views. CNN reported that detail while citing a regional diplomatic source.

The same source told CNN that al-Hammami was born in the United Arab Emirates and had spent several years of his life there. His father is Omani, while his mother is Syrian.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that “the attacker underwent Islamist radicalization,” and that “he intended to crash the plane with all its passengers on board.” Netanyahu said Israeli authorities were investigating whether another party directed the attack.

“We are now investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price,” Netanyahu said in the statement.

Flight 1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday with 182 people aboard when the copilot allegedly launched the attack. The plane plunged 18,000 feet during the terrifying nosedive.

Captain Smit Machchhar fought off his attacker long enough for passengers and pilots who were off duty to intervene. They then helped gain control of the aircraft after it had fallen into a dangerous descent.

Aviation security analysts described Wednesday’s midair attack as a significant security failure. Although a screening mistake may have allowed the weapon allegedly used by al-Hammami onto the plane, analysts told The Wall Street Journal that he should have been identified and stopped long before he reached the airport.

The copilot had worked for flydubai for less than a year. His hiring and placement on the route now stand at the center of questions about how earlier concerns over his reported ideology were handled.

All pilots employed by the Dubai airline undergo security screening before flying, according to a former crew member who is now an Emirates pilot. The same source told The Wall Street Journal that pilots also receive medical checks at least once each year.

First officers advancing to captain status must complete internal psychology checks. The Journal reported that it remains unknown whether al-Hammami underwent a similar assessment before flying for the airline.

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Israel and the United Arab Emirates are known for strong airport security protocols, according to The Wall Street Journal. Israeli airlines traveling into Dubai follow stricter security measures than carriers from other countries operating along the same route.

A country official told the publication that Israel has long urged Dubai airport officials to tighten security for flights headed to Tel Aviv. The alleged attack has now placed those longstanding concerns under fresh scrutiny.

In the aftermath, flydubai halted all flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv until further notice. The Post reached out to Oman Air and flydubai for comment.

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