A Qatari diplomat on a United Airlines flight from Washington to Denver caused a security alert after he was apparently caught smoking in the toilet and made a remark that was perceived as a threat.

Qatar's ambassador to Washington called Wednesday's incident a "mistake" said the man was a diplomat traveling on official business. U.S. officials said the man was in custody and the incident did not appear to be serious.

Coming just months after the failed "underwear" bomb attempt on Christmas Day, the scare prompted security officials to scramble two F-16 fighter jets to intercept the Boeing 757 aircraft and escort it to Denver International Airport where it landed at about 9 p.m. EDT.

"It looks like the individual in question was perhaps smoking in the lavatory and might have made an unfortunate remark" when confronted by airline personnel, a U.S. official said.

Qatar's ambassador to Washington, Ali bin Fahad al-Hajri, said the man posed no security threat.

"He certainly wasn't involved in any activities involving a threat. This was a mistake and we request that all parties concerned refrain from making any assumptions or judgments," al-Hajri said in a statement to the Qatar News Agency.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the disturbance and a White House official said actions were taken to ensure travelers' safety.

But passengers aboard United Airlines flight 663 said no struggle took place and the suspect appeared to be speaking calmly to a U.S. air marshal in first class.

"I didn't know anything had happened until we landed," said Tim Burney, a first class passenger sitting one row in front of the man who was handcuffed and taken away for questioning at Denver International Airport.

Burney said he overheard the marshal telling the man "just be honest with me" and the passenger saying something about being "embarrassed."

Security heightened

U.S. officials have been on heightened alert and have ramped up security substantially since Christmas Day last year after a Nigerian man allegedly tried but failed to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit with a bomb hidden in his underwear. He has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges and is in custody awaiting trial in Detroit.

The first reports of Wednesday's incident led to heightened security at other airports.

ABC News, citing federal law enforcement officials, first reported that air marshals subdued a Qatari man who authorities say tried to "light his shoes on fire" on the flight.

CNN said no explosives were found on board. When asked why he was in the toilet so long, he "said something about lighting his shoe on fire," the network reported. U.S. officials could not confirm that report.

The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement the passenger was now in custody. A total of 157 passengers and six crew members were aboard, according to United Air.

U.S. officials have tracked the December plane incident back to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. This has led Washington to step up efforts to combat the militant group in Yemen.

TSA has increased security since that incident, requiring some passengers to undergo full-body scans at airports.

Just months after hijackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Richard Reid, a Briton and self-admitted member of al Qaeda, was subdued on an transatlantic flight diverted to Boston after attempting to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes.

Reid pleaded guilty to eight counts related to terrorism and was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

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