11 July 2004	Sunday	22 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

NEW DELHI, July 10: Former Indian defence minister George Fernandes was strip-searched twice at Dulles Airport in the US capital area when he was defence minister, Press Trust of India reported on Saturday, quoting former US deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott.

Mr Fernandes told Mr Talbott that the incidents happened once while he was on an official visit to Washington and another time while en route to Brazil.

In his book, Engaging India - Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb, Mr Talbott said he was told this by Mr Fernandes when he had visited India in February.

"Just as we were saying good-bye to Fernandes, a member of our delegation innocently asked him when he would next be coming to Washington.

"Fernandes regaled us with the story of how he had been strip-searched by officers of the US Immigration and Naturalization Service at Dulles Airport when he arrived for an official visit in early 2002, and again, in mid-2003, when he was passing through the US on his way to Brazil."