'I stand up for the principle of free speech'

SYDNEY: An Australian man barred from an international flight for wearing a T-shirt depicting US President George W Bush as a terrorist said on Monday that he would fight the airline's ruling.   

Allen Jasson, a 55-year-old IT specialist, was turned away from a Qantas flight from Melbourne to London after refusing to remove the shirt, which carries an image of Bush and the words 'World's Number One Terrorist'.

Jasson said the airline had denied him freedom of speech and he was taking legal advice on challenging its policy and recovering costs involved in missing his flight.

"To be fair to Qantas, they have said I can take another flight if I don't wear the t-shirt but I am not prepared to go without the t-shirt," he said.

"I might forfeit the fare (about 2,000 US dollars) but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for the principle of free speech." 

A Qantas spokesman said, "Whether made verbally or on a T-shirt, comments with the potential to offend other customers or threaten the security of a Qantas group aircraft will not be tolerated."