US fighter jets intercept plane flying close to Obama helicopter

Feb 17, 2012, 16:34 GMT

Los Angeles - US fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a small private plane that entered the same airspace in Los Angeles as a helicopter carrying President Barack Obama, ABC News reported Friday.

Police later found 20 kilograms of marijuana on the private plane. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon as Obama was being ferried aboard Marine One, a military helicopter, while on a fundraising tour in California.

According to a statement issued by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, two F-16 fighters intercepted the Cessna 182 after it violated restricted airspace around the president and failed to respond to calls from air traffic controllers.

The small plane was forced to land at Long Beach airport where the pilot was detained for questioning.

Officials told the Los Angeles Times that the plane was never close enough to endanger Obama, who continued his fundraising trip without interruption, flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

According to the president's staff, Obama raised 29 million dollars in January, raising to 250 million dollars total fundraising for the November election.