CAIRO, Egypt: New details have emerged about the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain with an axe and trying to take control of an Israel-bound flight, including claims that he had earlier been stopped from flying for an Omani airline over concerns about extremist views.

Three people familiar with the situation, including a Middle East official and a Western diplomat, identified the co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

The United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation, has described the September 30 incident as a "terrorist attack". Authorities said the co-pilot used the cockpit's crash axe to attack the captain and then tried to take control of the aircraft as it rapidly lost altitude.

The flight was carrying 182 people. The attack brought the aircraft close to crashing before passengers and others managed to overpower the co-pilot.

The new information has raised questions about how the co-pilot was allowed to operate the flight. Israel has said it has agreements with foreign airlines to prevent pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel from flying there. Israel and Oman have no formal diplomatic relations.

A regional official and another person familiar with the matter said the co-pilot had previously been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns that he had adopted extremist views. The official said he was later moved to an administrative position at Oman Air.

The two people spoke anonymously because the investigation is continuing.

The co-pilot was later hired by UAE-based flydubai, according to the person familiar with the matter. It was not immediately clear how extensive the airline's background checks were before he was employed.

The regional official said the co-pilot was born in the United Arab Emirates and that his mother is Syrian. It was not immediately clear how he obtained Omani nationality.

Security agencies from four countries in the region are investigating the co-pilot's possible motives, with assistance from the United States and other Western governments, the official said.

The Middle East diplomat said investigators were also trying to determine whether the co-pilot acted alone or "has any connection with any extremist groups."

A flydubai spokesperson said the airline could not provide further details beyond its earlier official statements. The airline acknowledged that "there are many questions at this stage."

Oman Air did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Omani government has also not publicly addressed repeated questions about the incident.

The case is also a test for the UAE, which has built a reputation for taking strong action against extremist activity. At the same time, the country has previously reacted strongly to criticism over security failures.

Commercial aircraft are normally required to carry crash axes in the cockpit. They can be used during emergencies to break windows for escape or open panels to reach fires. The axes are normally kept where cockpit crew can access them but passengers cannot.

Little is known about the co-pilot's wider background. His Instagram account remained active until the day of the flight, then was deleted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on October 2 that the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radicalization". He did not provide evidence to support the claim, and the Israeli government did not respond immediately on October 3.