Australia Outraged Monday After Citizens Strip Searched, Examined By Qatar Authorities

Australia on Monday lodged a complaint against Qatari airport authorities following their alleged "grossly inappropriate" and "offensive" actions. It is demanding a response.

Women passengers - including 13 Australians - were taken from their seats by airport authorities and strip searched. The incident occurred after Hamad International Airport officials discovered an abandoned prematurely born infant in a terminal bathroom, reports aid.

Women aboard the flight were ordered to disembark the plane then forced to take off their clothes and subjected to a medical examination. The women weren't told why.

"When the women came back, many of them or probably all of them were upset. One of them was in tears, a younger woman, and people couldn't believe what had happened," Dr. Wolfgang Babeck, one of the passengers, is quoted by the Telegraph as saying.

Airport security officers escorted an undisclosed number of women passengers from the Qatar Airways plane to ambulances - where doctors examined them for indications they had recently given birth.

Australia foreign minister Marise Payne said what happened was "a grossly disturbing, offensive, concerning set of events...not something that I've ever heard of occurring in my life, in any context. We have made our views very clear to the Qatari authorities on this matter," The Associated Press quoted Payne as saying.

Airport officials said the women were asked "to assist with inquiries" to locate the mother of the infant. Authorities said the infant was safe and being cared for by medical staff.

Australia said it would wait for a response from the Qatar government before deciding on further action. Payne said the incident had been reported to Australian Federal Police.

Qatar adheres to a strict form of Islamic law with stiff penalties for women who get pregnant or bear children outside of marriage.

The Australian women had to be isolated for 14 days upon their return home - a requirement for all travelers. The incident happened Oct. 2.