Flight diverted after possible terrorist threat

SHREVEPORT, La.

A Delta airliner bound for California was diverted to Shreveport with an escort of two military planes yesterday after a passenger passed a threatening note to a flight attendant, the FBI said.

Flight 357, with 148 people aboard from Atlanta to Los Angeles, landed safely after what the airline described as a "passenger incident."

Edward A. Stephenson, of Venice, Calif., was arrested and charged with interfering with a flight crew member and attendants, FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne said.

The passenger"s note was in response to an announcement by the pilot that they would be taking a different flight path because of bad weather, U.S. Attorney Bill Flanagan said.

"The passenger handed a note to the flight attendant that contained language that the pilot should not divert from the original flight path, and some other language which seemed bizarre," Flanagan said. "It didn"t make a lot of sense, but at the same time it was alarming."

The man did not make any physical threats, Flanagan said.

The Boeing 757 reported a problem at 2:43 p.m. and landed 26 minutes later.

Stephenson appeared disoriented when he was taken off the plane, police said. Thorne said prosecutors planned to seek a mental evaluation of the suspect.

Delta spokeswoman Cindi Kurczewski said there were 139 passengers and nine crew members aboard the jetliner. She said the plane was diverted "due to a passenger incident," but referred questions to authorities.

The flight was escorted by two military planes, an F-16 fighter and an A-10, airport director Roy Miller said. The flight continued on to Los Angeles less than two hours after landing in Shreveport.

Democrats pick woman as minority whip

WASHINGTON

California Rep. Nancy Pelosi won the race yesterday for the No. 2 House Democratic leader and will become the top-ranking woman ever in Congress. Her election sparked debate over whether she will help or hinder her party.

Pelosi, a liberal eight-term veteran from San Francisco, outpolled rival Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland by 118-95 in a closed-door, secret ballot vote. She will take the post of Democratic whip on Jan. 15 when Rep. David Bonior steps down from that job and concentrates on running for governor of Michigan.

Both candidates claimed to be best positioned to lead their party back to the House majority it last held in 1994. Pelosi said she sought no votes on the basis of her gender, but clearly many of her colleagues felt it was time for a woman to enter the leadership circle.

"This is difficult turf to win on for anyone, but for a woman breaking ground here it was a tough battle," Pelosi said after the vote. "We made history. Now we have to make progress."

Pelosi"s triumph brought praise from groups that traditionally support Democrats.

"We don"t get to break a glass ceiling in Congress very often," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women.

Supporters said Pelosi presents Democrats with an appealing package.

Her base is in one of the country"s more affluent areas, and supporters praised Pelosi"s abilities as a fund raiser. Aides said she has raised $1.6 million for Democratic candidates this year.

She also is being counted on to enhance the party"s ability to attract women.

"Most campaigns run on the energy of women," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), who helped run Pelosi"s leadership campaign. "This is a major, major step for the future of this party."

Other lawmakers from both parties wondered whether Pelosi could overcome the label of being a San Francisco liberal.

"It makes me feel good as a liberal," said Rep. James Moran (D-Va.), who supported Hoyer. "But I"m not sure it does a lot for our future."

"She"s very appealing to the liberal base of her party," said Ed Gillespie, a Republican consultant who once worked in the House. "But her liberal votes are not likely to be very appealing to the vast majority of the public."

Pelosi dismisses such arguments, saying of the San Francisco liberal tag: "When people pose that, they"re thinking in old ways."

In private, several Democrats said they worried that Pelosi would push House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.), into a more confrontational stance with President Bush and congressional Republicans. The two parties have struggled lately to present a united front following last month"s terrorists attacks.

These Democrats said Pelosi"s supporters cast her as the voice of Democrats upset with Gephardt for cooperating too much.