Five New York flights searched for bombs in 'chemical weapons' terror scare: Fighter jets scrambled after anonymous threats to flights into JFK

  • Airline authorites have received threats warning about the risk of either 'chemical weapons' or bombs onboard at least five New York bound flights
  • An Air France flight was forced to make an emergency landing at JFK at 10:17 a.m. on Monday after receiving an anonymous threat
  • Two American fighter jets were ordered to accompany the New York-bound Flight 22
  • Later a Saudi Airlines flight from Jeddah landed safely despite a bomb threat
  • Two flights into Newark Airport have also been subject to threats
  • The threats are not considered to be credible, but authorites are taking no chances
  • Expected to disrupt air travel in the New York area on the last day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend

Airline authorites have received anonymous threats warning about the risk of either 'chemical weapons' or bombs onboard at least five New York bound flights. 

Three warnings have been received about 'chemical weapons' including an Air France flight which was forced to make an emergency landing at JFK at 10:17 a.m. on Monday. 

Further warnings about 'chemical weapons' were phoned in relating to an American Airways flight landing from Birmingham, England, and a Delta flight coming into Newark.

Scroll down for video

An Air France plane was intercepted and escorted to JFK airport in New York City after an anonymous 'chemical weapons' threat was made against the flight

An Air France plane was intercepted and escorted to JFK airport in New York City after an anonymous 'chemical weapons' threat was made against the flight

A passenger onboard the Saudi Airways flight captures the scene on the ground once people were allowed off the flight

A passenger onboard the Saudi Airways flight captures the scene on the ground once people were allowed off the flight

A Saudi Airlines flight has also landed safely at JFK following threats of a bomb onboard

A Saudi Airlines flight has also landed safely at JFK following threats of a bomb onboard

In addition bomb threats have been recevied in relation to a Saudi Airlines flight that landed safely at Kennedy airport from Jeddah and a cargo plane bound for Newark.

The threat are not considered to be credible, but authorites are taking no chances and are following security protocols.

Two American fighter jets were ordered to accompany the New York-bound Flight 22 as it headed towards the airport from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any of the other flights were handled like the Air France flight.

Law enforcement sources are concerned that the threats are a possible plot to disrupt and delay air travel in the New York area on the last day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, reports FOX5

Once all the passengers had been taken off the Saudi Airways flight their baggage was checked by cadaver dogs 

Once all the passengers had been taken off the Saudi Airways flight their baggage was checked by cadaver dogs 

The two planes were taken to a secure area, between runway 22L and 22R, that is generally known as the 'hijack site' because it is the area used in such emergency scenario

The two planes were taken to a secure area, between runway 22L and 22R, that is generally known as the 'hijack site' because it is the area used in such emergency scenario

Although the Air France threat wasn't considered credible, authorities took the decision to scramble the jets as a 'precautionary measure' because the airline did not immediately respond to government requests for information. Monday is also a state holiday in France, reports ABC News

The tip was called in at 6:45 a.m. on an untraceable line and the caller did not identify himself. 

The two F16 planes were scrambled and followed the plane but they flew in such a way so that the passengers and crew were not able to see the military planes.

The caller said that four flights had devices on board but only specified the JFK-bound Air France flight.

After landing the Airbus A-330 was taken to a secure area - between runway 22L and 22R - generally known as the 'hijack site' because it is the area used in such emergency scenario. 

It was later joined by the Saudi Airways flight from Jeddah to New York. So far security checks have turned up nothing unusual on either flight.

Law enforcement sources are concerned that the threats are a possible plot to disrupt and delay air travel in the New York area on the last day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend 

Law enforcement sources are concerned that the threats are a possible plot to disrupt and delay air travel in the New York area on the last day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend 

In Washington, meanwhile, a bomb squad has safely destroyed a pressure cooker found in an unattended vehicle parked on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol.

The vehicle's owner has been found and arrested, a U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman said. 

Officers were on routine patrol when they spotted the parked, unoccupied vehicle on a street on the mall west of the Capitol around 5 p.m. on Sunday.

'Further investigation revealed a pressure cooker, and an odor of gasoline was detected,' said Lt. Kimberly A. Schneider, adding a Capitol Police bomb squad was called in because the vehicle was deemed 'suspicious in nature.'

Authorities have noted that pressure cookers have been used in the past to create explosive devices. Three people were killed and more than 260 others wounded in April 2013 when two pressure-cooker bombs were set off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.