Here's another new article on the LAX incident. It appears that this was indeed more than a bottle rocket.
Feds probe SAM fired at airliner report
United Press International ^ | 12/2/2005 | United Press International
Posted on 12/02/2005 11:52:19 AM PST by RogerWilko
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1532880/posts
Thank you Freeperfromnj for pointing to this article and FR thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1532880/posts
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http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20051202-014717-2951r
Security & Terrorism
"Feds probe SAM fired at airliner report"
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- FBI agents and Homeland Security officials have been investigating the report of a possible missile fired at an American Airlines plane taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.
Sources told ABC News in Los Angeles that the pilot of American Airlines Flight 621, en route to Chicago, radioed air traffic controllers after takeoff from LAX. He told them a missile had been fired at the aircraft and missed.
The plane was over water when the pilot said he saw a smoke trail pass by the cockpit."