Bomb Scare Diverts Plane to Philly

Last updated: 12:03 p.m. EST

A flight from New York's La Guardia Airport was diverted to Philadelphia after a bomb scare Thursday morning, CBS station KYW reports.

CBS News reports the passenger who aroused suspicion was a 17-year-old boy who was traveling with his teenage sister. The passenger is a U.S. citizen. He was questioned by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and was not charged.

KYW reports that US Air flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelpia after a the passenger removed a "tefillin," a religious item used by observant Jewish men during weekday morning prayers,
after takeoff.

The removal of the tefellin prompted a bomb scare aboard the plane.

The flight will continue to its original destination, and the passenger involved in the incident is being permitted to continue on the flight.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan said the passenger was "completely cooperative." After being removed from the plane, the teen explained it was a religious device and officers determined it was "harmless" and was of no threat, KYW reports.

The TSA said officials searched the plane, with negative findings.

A tefillin, also called phylacteries, has two small, black leather boxes, containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with Biblical verses, with black straps attached to them. One box is placed on the head and the other is tied to the arm.

The commuter plane that normally seats 50 passengers is operated by Chautauqua Airlines and flies under the US Airways name. The plane departed LaGuardia at 7:25 a.m. and landed in Philadelphia at about 8:50 a.m. surrounded by Homeland Security and Philadelphia Police Bomb Squad.