India objects to TSA pat-down of ambassador
Saturday, 11 December 2010
India's foreign minister called last week's pat-down of Ambassador Meera Shankar unacceptable. Shankar had attended a conference at Mississippi State University and was catching a flight to Baltimore from Jackson-Evers International Airport, report agencies.
Witnesses told the Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jackson that Shankar was told she was singled out for additional screening because of her sari, which drapes across the body and is worn by many Indian women.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed concern Thursday that India's ambassador to the US was patted down by a TSA agent in Mississippi.
Clinton told reporters that the State Department was looking into the matter, which she said was under the jurisdiction of the Homeland Security Department. A Transportation Security Administration spokesman said diplomats were not exempt from searches.
The Indian Embassy spokesman, Virander Paul, said the State Department had offered regrets to the ambassador.
The search embarrassed university officials who invited Shankar to speak to an international studies programme.
Anger as Indian ex-leader frisked US 'balance' in air checks India's ambassador to US has been pulled from an airport security line and frisked by a security agent in Mississippi, it has emerged.
The Indian embassy in Washington has strongly protested about the incident.
The search took place on 4 December at the Jackson-Evers International Airport, news agency Press Trust of India quoted an Indian Embassy official as saying.
Ms Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending an event at Mississippi State University.
She was taken to a VIP waiting room despite staff being told that she was an ambassador, he said.
Witnesses told the Clarion-Ledger newspaper in Jackson that Shankar was told she was singled out for additional screening because of her sari, which drapes across the body and is worn by many Indian women.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed concern Thursday that India's ambassador to the US was patted down by a TSA agent in Mississippi.
Clinton told reporters that the State Department was looking into the matter, which she said was under the jurisdiction of the Homeland Security Department. A Transportation Security Administration spokesman said diplomats were not exempt from searches.
The Indian Embassy spokesman, Virander Paul, said the State Department had offered regrets to the ambassador.
The search embarrassed university officials who invited Shankar to speak to an international studies programme.
Anger as Indian ex-leader frisked US 'balance' in air checks India's ambassador to US has been pulled from an airport security line and frisked by a security agent in Mississippi, it has emerged.
The Indian embassy in Washington has strongly protested about the incident.
The search took place on 4 December at the Jackson-Evers International Airport, news agency Press Trust of India quoted an Indian Embassy official as saying.
Ms Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending an event at Mississippi State University.
She was taken to a VIP waiting room despite staff being told that she was an ambassador, he said.