Egypt blasts UK over pope treatment

Cairo: Egypt said it would deal in a “tit-for-tat'' fashion with visiting British dignitaries after the Coptic Pope was forced to go through a metal detector at London's Heathrow airport.

The 84-year-old Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who carries a diplomatic passport, was on a visit to the UK to open a catholic church.

He was initially informed he would have to undergo a body search, but airport workers backed down after he objected.

The Egyptian government issued a strongly-worded statement to the UK saying that British personalities would face the same treatment on visits to Egypt.