Australian kicked off flight for Bush-bashing T-shirt

Canberra, Jan 22: An airline passenger barred from a flightfor wearing a T-shirt labelling US President George W Bush a terroristhas threatened legal action against Australia's flag carrier Qantas.

Allen Jasson, 55, an Australian IT expert who lives in Britain,was stopped from boarding a London-bound Qantas flight at MelbourneAirport last Friday for wearing what the airline said was an offensiveT-shirt.

Airline staff said the T-shirt of Bush with the tagline ''World'snumber 1 terrorist'' could have upset other passengers and demanded itbe changed for another.

But Jasson, who had earlier travelled on a Qantas domestic flightwearing the Bush T-shirt, said his right to freedom of speech had beeninfringed by Qantas.

''I am not prepared to go without the T-shirt. I might forfeit thefare, but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for theprinciple of free speech,'' Jasson told Australian media on Monday,adding he would seek legal advice.

Qantas issued a statement saying comments made verbally or on aT-shirt which had the potential to offend other travellers or threatenthe security of aircraft ''will not be tolerated''.

Reuters >