BC-MA–Plane Diverted, 1st Ld-Writethru,0325

American Airlines jet diverted to Nashville after bomb threat

Eds: CHANGES slug, EDITS throughout to CONFORM to version moving on general lines; UPDATES with Bush’s departure, FBI comments in grafs 7-11

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – An American Airlines jet flying from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Boston was diverted Thursday after a flight attendant found a note saying there was a bomb in the cargo hold.

Investigators were examining a “suspicious package,” said Ronald Robert, a spokesman for Nashville International Airport. He did not know on what part of the plane the package was found.

The flight attendant found the note in one of the plane’s lavatories. The 129 passengers were taken off the plane and rescreened by the Transportation Security Administration and FBI.

Flight 306 left Dallas/Ft. Worth at 1:46 p.m. CDT and landed in Nashville shortly after 3:30 p.m., said American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner. It was a full flight carrying two pilots and three flight attendants.

In Nashville, the MD-80 was parked near the Tennessee National Guard airfield where Air Force One awaited President Bush’s arrival after a speech and fund-raiser in Nashville.

“It’s just a coincidence,” said Homeland Security spokesman Dennis Murphy.

Bush departed Nashville on Air Force One about 7:50 p.m. CDT.

White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said the incident did not affect Bush’s travel plans.

Doug Riggin of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force said authorities are interviewing every person on the flight and will unload all the baggage. He said the plane could be delayed overnight.

“We have to take everything like this seriously,” Riggin said. “That’s why we’re talking to every single person on board that plane, we’ll talk to the people in Dallas where the plane originated, to the people who loaded the plane, had anything to do with the plane.

“Of course, if and when we locate the individual who left a note like this we’re going to seek prosecution through the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

AP-ES-05-27-04 2124EDT