Note-Passing Raises Suspicions

Authorities say military jets escorted an airliner to LaGuardia Airport in New York after a passenger became alarmed by others passing notes.

According to Port Authority Police spokesman Alan Hicks, about 15 minutes before American Trans Air Flight 204 was due to arrive from Chicago Tuesday night, a passenger told a flight attendant that seven others, who are from India, were engaged in "suspicious activity," passing notes and changing seats.

The flight attendant notified the pilot, who alerted federal aviation authorities.

Two F-16 fighter jets escorted the plane - a Boeing 757 with 98 passengers plus a crew - to the ground, according to Major Barry Venable, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

The plane landed five minutes late, and no one was hurt.

Police say the seven Indian passengers are being questioned.

Since Sept. 11, NORAD has scrambled fighters or diverted them from other missions more than 400 times to assist civilian aviation authorities.