Independent MP condemned for ‘Toxic conspiratorial’ post about Israel flight terror attack
Ayoub Khan, MP for Birmingham Perry Bar, subsequently rejected a call for him to apologise for his remarks
The Board of Deputies has condemned the “toxic conspiratorial thinking” of a Member of Parliament who said that he “smell[ed] a rat” in response to an Israeli report of what happened on the flydubai flight which managed to neutralise a terrorist threat from a member of the cabin crew.
Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Bar, shared a BBC article about the attack with the headline “’Hero’ pilot stabbed by other pilot on Israel-bound plane, Israeli PM says. Alongside the article, Khan wrote: “I am genuinely shocked at the speed of this enquiry by the Israeli spokespeople!!! Normally it takes them months if not years. I think I smell a rat!”
Responding Khan’s comments, Adrian Cohen, Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies and Chair of its International Division, said:
“A potentially catastrophic event was averted by courage of brave passengers and crew. It was a stark reminder of the threats faced by hatred directed against Israel and Jews around the world.
“In a situation where more than 170 lives have were saved by these heroic acts, we could all do without this sort of toxic conspiratorial thinking which feeds extremism. The response of this MP is callous and distasteful, and should have no place in our politics.”
On Wednesday morning, a flydubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel sent out distress signals, and subsequently made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. It transpired that the co-pilot, believed to be of Omani origin, had stabbed the captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar. Captain Machchhar fought back, and managed to open the door to the cockpit, allowing Israeli passengers to enter and subdue the terrorist. The plane plummeted thousands of feet during the attack, with a passenger who had seen documentary footage of air disasters able to use what he had seen to level out the plane.
Labour Peer Lord Austin also condemned Khan’s remarks, saying: “Ayoub Khan needs to apologise for this disgraceful comment which appears to endorse crazy conspiracy theories that the Flydubai terror attack was somehow a false flag by Israel. This MP seems to be totally obsessed with the world’s only Jewish state. Decent Brummies and the good people of Perry Barr deserve much better than this.”
Khan responded on social media, saying “Is this peer having a laugh? Please tell me he’s joking. Apologise?
“My fellow colleague of the Commons, I wouldn’t believe a word from Netanyahu unless it came independently corroborated, double-checked and preferably notarised by the universe itself.”
Khan, who is also a criminal barrister, was believed to be a key figure in the attempt last year to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from coming to Birmingham when the Israeli football team was drawn to play Aston Villa. In 2023, while a Liberal Democrat councillor, he released social media videos questioning the extent of the 7 October atrocities carried out by Hamas. When the Liberal Democrats said Khan had apologised, deleted his tiktok videos and agreed to undergo antisemitism training, Khan released a further video in which he said: “At no stage have I considered my material on TikTok offensive, nor have I agreed with anyone that I would undergo a training course in antisemitism. There is simply no need.”
Khan was one of four MPs elected in 2024 – the others being Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussein and Iqbal Mohamed – who were viewed as having won their seats as Independents as a backlash against the Labour party over its stance on Gaza.