U.S. Officials: Multiple Bomb Threats Target Aircraft at Philadelphia Airport

U.S. officials indicated Tuesday that multiple bomb threats had been called into flights departing from and arriving at Philadelphia International Airport this week, with some officials suggesting that the non-credible threats may have been carried out by an Islamic State "lone wolf" sympathizer.

The five threats were made Tuesday on various flights, including a U.S. Airways flight from San Diego, an Atlanta-bound Delta flight, a Volare flight traveling to Mexico, a United flight traveling to Chicago and a Korean Air flight to San Francisco.

Officials told NBC News that although the threats were not credible, extreme caution was taken and the U.S. Airways plane arriving at Philadelphia was taken to a remote area to be searched for a bomb.

Authorities added that although not certain, it's possible the recent bomb threat phone calls were carried out by a U.S.-based member of the Islamic State.

"The TSA Operations Center in Washington, DC had received a phone threat stating that there was an explosive device on the plane," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan said. "Out of an abundance of caution" the plane was moved to a remote area.

This week's threats come after a report carried out by undercover agents determined the agents were able to smuggle contraband items, such as weapons and explosives, through TSA checkpoints 67 out of 70 attempts.

The report resulted in the TSA's acting administrator, Melvin Carraway, being reassigned to another job in the Department of Homeland Security.

According to NPR, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he takes the finding of the recent report "very seriously."