Bomb scare briefly closes San Diego airport

LOS ANGELES - San Diego airport's commuter terminal was evacuated on Tuesday after baggage screeners found what initially appeared to be bomb components but turned out to be a toy, security officials said.

Earlier in the morning two Los Angeles area airports received bomb threats, although no explosives were found, and all three airports were operating normally by mid-morning.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said screeners at San Diego International Airport at around 7:45am (3.45am NZT) found what appeared to be components of an explosive and called the bomb squad.

Police found a toy and what they called "some organic material", and the terminal was reopened at about 9:15 am (5.15am NZT), a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman added.

Two bomb threats were called at about 3am (11.00pm Tue NZT) to Long Beach and Orange County's John Wayne airport, both in the Los Angeles area, airport spokespeople said. Neither search found explosives, and John Wayne opened without delays.

Long Beach flights were delayed but the airport was open by early morning.

- REUTERS