Anonymous Threat Against Airline Prompts FBI Investigation
MCHENRY, Md. (WJZ) -- Flight scares on a busy travel holiday! As many as 10 airline flights, targeted with anonymous threats and at least one of them was received by Maryland State Police!
Christie Ileto has the last on the investigation.
Emergency crews swarm Air France flight 22 moments after it lands at JFK.
Maryland State Police received an anonymous call threatening commercial flights, claiming bombs and chemical weapons were on board.
The risk so dire, it prompts an escort by two fighter jets out of "an abundance of caution".
Passengers on board were oblivious to the escort--saying they didn't even see the jets while sitting in his window seat.
Homeland Security expert, Edward Clark speaks to WJZ by Skype explaining what the feds assess when these types of threats are made.
"What are the consequences of this type of attack? What threats do we know of that have this capability? What do we have to mitigate it," he says.
Ileto: "You're about to fly, does that make you feel uneasy?
"Scary, scary. They should not play like that because it's so scary for everyone that flies a lot," one woman says.
There were even reports that a flight that left here at BWI and landed in Buffalo, NY was also searched, though it's unclear if it had anything to do with the threats that were made.
Several aircrafts were searched though no hazardous materials found. Law enforcement believe at least ten threats to airlines were made this Memorial Day.
Angering many holiday flyers...
"We're losing men to protect our country and their somehow making threats to us," said Nat Hoyt.
The FBI believes the threats came from the same person and so far no arrests have been made.
