Allen Jasson, a native Australian who lives in London, was barred from boarding a flight home after he refused to take off a T-shirt with anti-Bush remarks on it. Jasson said the incident happened last Friday at a Qantas departure gate in the southern city of Melbourne, when a security official told him that he could not board with the shirt displaying an image of U.S. President Bush under the slogan "World's #1 terrorist."

Jasson said he had been removed from a domestic flight days earlier for wearing the same T-Shirt. Therefore, to avoid any later issues, he intentionally approached a Qantas staff member at the gate to draw attention to it.

"I raised the issue, but I wanted primarily to thank Qantas for relenting when he told me: 'I'm surprised you got this far, the staff should have stopped you'," Jasson told the AP.

Jasson said he refused a suggestion from the official that he may board another flight if agrees to not to wear the shirt.

"I might forfeit the fare but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for the principle of free speech," he said.

However, Qantas Airways Ltd. in a statement 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."

Jasson said he was considering suing the airline.