The French Minister for Justice, Mr Dominique Perben, has confirmed that French authorities are searching for a man behind security fears that have caused cancellations and delays for some flights to the United States.
The US television channel ABC reported yesterday that the man, who failed to show up for an Air France flight from Paris cancelled on Christmas Eve, was suspected of having links to the al Qaeda network and might have a small bomb to attack planes.
"I confirm that we are looking for someone. I cannot tell you anything more," Perben told RMC radio.
French media reported that the man was a Tunisian whose name matched that of a man who was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan but later escaped.
ABC said the suspect has a French passport and his identification and description were passed on to security officials at London's Heathrow Airport.
U.S. and British officials have focused on British Airways Flight 223 from London to Washington's Dulles International Airport in recent days. It was cancelled twice last week and delayed several times due to extra security procedures.
In Washington, a CIA spokesman dismissed the ABC report.