Delta says 2 of its international planes also threatened

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Delta said two of its international planes were threatened, bringing to at least six the number of planes to receive such threats on Thursday.

The threats have been deemed not credible. Planes were searched and cleared.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. said threats were to a Paris-to-Boston flight and a London-to-Newark, New Jersey, flight.

Anonymous telephone threats against commercial airliners caused a scare on Monday involving other international flights to New York.

The FBI says in one instance U.S. military jets escorted an Air France flight into New York City after someone claimed a chemical weapon was aboard. The Maryland State Police Fusion Center received an anonymous call at about 6:45 a.m. of a "chemical weapons threat" aboard the flight.

A senior federal official said the caller did not identify himself and the number was untraceable. The caller said four flights had devices on board but specified only the Air France flight. The airliner landed safely and a search turned up no weapons.

U.S. authorities scrambled fighter jets because Air France did not immediately respond to U.S. government requests for information.

In a statement, the FBI said, "Out of an abundance of caution, Air France flight number 22 was escorted to John F. Kennedy airport by U.S. Air Force fighter jets following a phone threat. The plane has landed and has deboarded. There were no incidents or hazards reported on board the flight by either the passengers or its crew. The plane has been cleared."

The passengers and crew didn't see them. They broke off at 10,000 feet so they wouldn't interfere with commercial traffic.

The Airbus A-330 plane, Flight 22 from Charles de Gaulle Airport, landed in a secure area at Kennedy Airport, between runways 22L and 22R, to be searched. It also was not believed to be a credible threat.

A Saudi Arabian Airlines flight also was being checked out because of another threat, authorities said.