United Airlines removes a Muslim pilot from service for justifying terrorism
The attempted jihadist attack on Flydubai leads United Airlines to suspend a pilot who had justified Hamas terrorism.
Illustrative image / AI
The American airline United Airlines has again removed from service the Muslim pilot who had justified Hamas's terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023.. The company had already suspended Ibrahim Mossallam that same year, but a month later reinstated him and he continued to fly Boeing 757 and 767 commercial aircraft.
According to the report, specialized medium DansDeals, United Airlines confirmed on October 6, 2026 that it had again removed Mossallam from his duties while it conducted an internal investigation. The attempted jihadist attack by a Flydubai co-pilot has precipitated the decision and reopened the debate about Islamist radicalization within commercial aviation.
The pilot defended Hamas terrorism
On the same day, 7 October 2023, while Hamas terrorists were murdering Israeli civilians and kidnapping hundreds of people, Ibrahim Mossallam posted a message on Facebook presenting the attack as a legitimate act of resistance.. The pilot claimed that it was "the resistance of a brave people who have endured decades of occupation, oppression, humiliation, apartheid and murder." He also assured that "it was not an unprovoked attack," but a response to the actions of what he called the "Zionist regime.".
Mossallam's publications sparked public complaints and petitions for United Airlines to fire him. On 20 November 2023, the company confirmed to the specialized portal DansDeals who had temporarily removed him from service, maintaining his salary, while investigating the facts. A month later the investigation was closed and he returned to flying.
Mossallam continued to post messages against Israel after rejoining United Airlines. In one of these publications he stated that Israel had never intended to stop the appropriation of Palestinian lands and that, without Palestinian resistance, all of Palestine would have already been occupied.
Pilot and manager in Islamic organizations in the United States
According to your official biography at CAIR-NY, Ibrahim Mossallam is vice president of the board of directors of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in New York.. He also serves on the board of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP-NY) and the board of the Muslim American Society (MAS-NY). These organizations have a history of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The case of MAS, founded by members of the Egyptian Islamist movement, is particularly well documented. A George Washington University report published January 2026 confirms these origins, although MAS denies currently maintaining operational links with the Muslim Brotherhood.
CAIR has also been investigated for its historical links with organisations linked to Hamas., the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2007, the US federal prosecution included CAIR on a list of alleged unindicted co-conspirators during the trial of the Holy Land Foundation, a foundation convicted of financing Hamas. CAIR was not charged with any crime and challenged that inclusion. As for AMP, the Anti-Defamation League has documented the backgrounds of some of its leaders in the Islamic Association for Palestine, a former organisation linked to Hamas. These historical connections do not prove that Mossallam is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood., but they place their associative activity in organizations with a history related to this Islamist movement.
Companions who didn't want to fly with him
According to information from Channel 14, Two United Airlines pilots who were traveling as passengers on a plane commanded by Ibrahim Mossallam reportedly gave up their first class seats.: they chose to spend the journey in the cockpit to keep an eye on Mossallam. The two professionals distrusted their colleague and wanted to personally supervise the development of the flight.
United Airlines had tried to fire Mossallam, but the pilots' union reportedly prevented his dismissal. This version was picked up on October 6 by the specialized portal View from the Wing.
Training and work do not prevent jihad
The case of Mossallam has returned to the news following the’attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ1073, September 20, 2026. On that flight, an Omani co-pilot trained in Australia and New Zealand attacked the commander with an axe in an attempt to take control of the plane.
The cases of Flydubai and United Airlines have one thing in common: These are not untrained people, but qualified professionals, with higher education and access to a profession of high responsibility.. United Airlines' Mossallam is an international pilot and has university degrees in aeronautical sciences and comparative religions. Flydubai's Al-Hammami was educated in Australia, New Zealand and the UK before working for various airlines. It was in Australia, according to the investigation, that came into contact with people linked to an Islamic center related to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Academic training and professional qualifications do not necessarily prevent ideological radicalization. The case of al-Hammami, who attempted to use his aeronautical knowledge to commit an attack, raises questions about the ability of airlines to detect insider threats.
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