NYC Cabby: Gay Couple Scared Me

The New York City cab driver accused of booting a gay couple from his car for hugging said he was terrified the men were about to have sex, and his boss added that the situation was especially difficult for a Muslim cabbie to handle.

Medhat Mohamed faces penalties and possible license revocation for ejecting Paul Bruno and his partner from his cab in Manhattan after driving only two blocks Monday night, citing their displays of affection toward each other as the reason for refusing them service.

"I wanted to pay attention to getting them to their destination instead of worrying if they were going to have sex or not," Mohamed told the New York Post on Wednesday.

The driver said he told Bruno and his partner that they could remain in the car if they stopped touching, but Bruno denies such an offer was made.

Mahmoud Elnefnawy, who owns the taxi medallion used by Mohamed, suggested that his Islamic religion was the reason for the episode, telling the New York Post, "in our religion, we can't handle that stuff."

"There's no kissing allowed in the cab," said Elnefnawy. "A man has to be a man."