From Slashdot:

"A Boeing 747 that serves as an Air Force One backup and two F-16 fighters escorting it caused a brief panic among office workers at the World Financial Center in lower Manhattan this morning, as large numbers evacuated the buildings. The incident was also spurred evacuations in Jersey City across the Hudson River from Manhattan."

Two F-16 fighters seems incorrect: the photos and the reports indicate only one. However, who ever thought this "photo op" was a good idea? I can't possibly imagine that the ensuing panic and bad press was unforeseeable. Is this just a cock-up? If it is, it's a real bad one.

Some pictures: (for the bottom one, ripped the link from the WSJ Flash slideshow for your convenience)