FBI Says One Person May Be Behind All Of The Incidents

Several airliners were the subject of anonymous phone threats on Monday which led authorities to search flights at three U.S. airports, and a U.S. military escort for an Air France airplane to JFK.

USA Today reports that the FBI believes all of the threats were made by one person.

The military jets were scrambled Monday morning after authorities received a phone tip that there was a "weapon" on board the Air France flight en route to JFK. That airplane, and another belonging to Saudi Arabian Airlines that was the focus of a similar phone call, were searched at JFK, but no weapons were found on board either airliner.

An American Airlines flight from Birmingham, England to JFK was also targeted by a threat. That airplane was told to land and taxi to a remote area of the airport, where it was held briefly before it was determined that the threat was not credible, and it was allowed to taxi to its gate.

Delta Airlines also reported threats against two of its flights, one traveling from  Paris to Boston, and one from London to Newark, according to the Associated Press. A United Airlines flight that arrived at Newark from Madrid was also inspected in a remote area of the airport after the passengers deplaned.

ABC News reports that the Maryland State Police got an anonymous call about a "bomb threat" aboard an Air France airliner at about 6:30 am Monday. That threat specified a "chemical weapon" was on board the airliner. In a statement, Air France said that it had been fully cooperating with U.S. Authorities "and would like to state that its entire staff do all they can on a daily basis to ensure the highest possible levels of security on board flights."

FMI: www.fbi.gov