By IANS,
London : Britain’s vehicle licensing agency has banned offensive number plates that could be read as Osama and other words supporting terrorism.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has banned hundreds of potentially offensive plates, the Sun reported Friday quoting an MP.
Among them are: O54MA (Osama), HO57AGE (hostage), BU58OMB (bus bomb), MA56ACA (massacre), and HE58OLA (Hezbollah).
Also scotched is anything to do with JEHAD or HAMAS, as well as number plates that could offend on religious grounds, such as MO56LEM (Moslem), anything with the letters KORAN or JESUS, GA55OVN (gas oven) and GOO5TEP (goosestep).
Plates like BOO4ZYY (boozy) are banned to discourage drink-driving. And SEX is a no-no.
A DVLA spokesman told The Sun: “Every number is checked to ensure it doesn’t cause offence.”
Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker, who obtained the list under Freedom of Information laws, said: “Some combinations would be deeply offensive. But it’s over the top to ban words about booze and sex. It’s a bit nanny state.”