US fighter jets scrambled for French flight

US fighter jets scrambled for French flight

NEW YORK - An Air France jetliner heading from Paris to New York was escorted by US fighter planes for the last stretch of the trip Monday because of a bomb threat against the flight, the airline and a US official said.

An Air France jetliner heading from Paris to New York was escorted by US fighter planes for the last stretch of the trip Monday because of a threat against the flight, the airline said

Flight AF022 landed at JFK airport without incident and was later taken to a special area of the airport for a security search, an Air France official in Paris said.

The threat was made by telephone from the United States, the Air France official said.

It was a bomb threat phoned in to a Maryland state police barracks shortly after 6:30 (1030 GMT), said police spokesman Greg Shipley. The FBI was notified immediately.

US media reported that the threat was not considered credible.

Pentagon officials were not immediately available for comment following the incident, which occurred as the United States marked its Memorial Day holiday.

An official at the Federal Aviation Administration said the agency was aware of the incident, but declined to elaborate.

CNN said the escort planes were two F-15 fighter jets.

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