The interrogation of 12 men who were removed from a US plane after they aroused the suspicions of air marshals and crew produced no evidence of terrorism, the Dutch justice minister said today.

A US airliner bound for India was diverted to Amsterdam under escort of two Dutch F-16 jet fighters, after air marshals and the crew grew suspicious of several passengers they saw exchanging mobile phones as the plane was taking off.

Dutch F-16s escorted a Northwest Airlines flight bound for India back to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport today, and authorities detained several passengers for questioning.