Tyre treads on Muslim feelings

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI (Reuter) - Hundreds of Japanese tyres have been withdrawn from Brunei after Muslims complained that the tyre tread design resembled a verse in the Koran, officials said yesterday.

The manager of the importing company said authorities had ordered the tyres fitted on Mitsubishi jeeps to be withdrawn as they deemed them offensive to Islam. He said Yokohama had expressed regrets over the unintentional similarity to a Koranic verse.