12 July 2004	Monday	23 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

NEW DELHI, July 11: Angered by the treatment meted out by US airport officials who twice strip-searched him at the Washington airport, former Indian defence minister George Fernandes swore on Sunday never to visit the United States again.

Mr Fernandes told reporters in Muzaffarpur in Bihar that despite repeated requests by the Indian ambassador in Washington, the American officials strip-searched him, once when he was on an official visit to Washington as defence minister, and on another occasion, when he had a brief stopover on his way to Brazil.

Press Trust of India said Mr Fernandes informed the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee about the incident, but it did not say what response he got from Mr Vajpayee. "I cannot forget the ordeal which I underwent in the US and have decided not to go there in the future," Mr Fernandes, on a tour of his parliamentary constituency, said.