Plane diverted after security scare

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>>> good evening, when a woman on a flight from paris to charlotte, north carolina today claimed to have a device surgically implanted in her body, her claim was taken seriously, because it's exactly the type of thing security officials have been worried about and warning about in our post 9/11 era. fighter jets were with scrambled. the woman was isolated and examined in flight,ant captain decided to put down in bangor maine. the pilot announced that due to extraordinary head winds on the way back from europe, they were going to have to stop for fuel. when the jet rolled to a stop, a security team boarded to get the passenger off. that's where we begin tonight as our justice correspondent pete williams picks up this story from washington this evening.

>> reporter: usairways flight 787 took o this morning from parr is with 188 people on board a scheduled flight to charlotte, north carolina . the passengers thought they were landing because of a fuel issue, and only then found out what really happened. several hours into the flight, a woman on board. a french citizen passes a note to the flight attendant written in french it said she had some kind of device surgically implanted in her body.

>> the airline acted appropriately. given the environment we're in, they did exactly the right thing.

>> reporter: she did not specifically claim to have any explosives or weapons, but the phrasing of her note aroused enough concern that she was removed from her seat, 30f near the back of the plane and taken to a private area on board. the pilot asked if any doctors were flying. and three responded. they examined her, found no scars and determined she seemed to be mentally disturbed . even so, as a precaution, two f-15s were scrambled at 11:40 this morning to accompany the plane into bangor.

>> in contrast to incidents earlier this year, in which crew members were unruly or obviously disturbed. the woman today does not act out and there were no obvious signs of a threat. passengers say they had no okay of the flight crew 's concern.

>> officials say the woman who set all this in motion is 40 years old and was planning a 10-day visit to the u.s. they're satisfied she presented no threat. she is in custody and may face criminal charges.

>> all part of this post 9/11 era that continues to evolve. pete williams starting us off from our washington newsroom tonight, thanks.