CANBERRA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Foreign Minister has described the invasive search of 13 Australian women at an airport in the Qatari capital Doha as "grossly disturbing."
It was revealed on Monday that women on board a Qantas flight from Doha's Hamad International Airport to Sydney on Oct. 2 were removed from the Australian flag carrier's aircraft as it prepared for take-off by security and examined without consent for signs they had recently given birth after a premature baby was found abandoned in a terminal bathroom.
Marise Payne, the minister for foreign affairs and minister for women, confirmed that the matter has been reported to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for investigation.
"This is a grossly, grossly disturbing, offensive, concerning set of events. It is not something that I have ever heard of occurring in my life, in any context," she said.
"We have made our concerns very clear to the Qatari authorities at this point, pending the arrival and availability of their report, and I want to be confident that they are very well aware of our views on the matter and I don't expect to see a recurrence," she said.
After reading the Qatari report, she added, "we will determine the next steps."
One of the women, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the women were taken to an ambulance outside of the airport to be examined, and they were not explained clearly about the incident.
Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted a statement from the Hamad International Airport as saying that individuals "who had access to the specific area of the airport where the newborn infant was found were asked to assist in the inquiry." Enditem
