Left: The FBI image of Bin Laden, Right: The original photo of Spanish MP Gaspar Llamazares

The U.S. federal police have used the portrait of a Spanish politician, Gaspar Llamazares, to create a portrait of an “aged” Bin Laden. After outcry, the FBI apologized.

Certainly, the U.S. security services are experiencing a difficult period. After the failed terrorist attempt at Christmas, the FBI would certainly have rather avoided a little blunder such as using a photo of a Spanish politician to recreate … A portrait of Osama bin Laden.

The U.S. federal police wanted to create a recent image of the leader of al-Qaida. Due to a lack of photos, they have used technology to “age” the Saudi.

But the technician in charge of the operation wanted something better. After considering the rendering of hair proposed by the software disappointing, he sought to improve it with real photos. During his search through Google, he came upon a portrait of Gaspar Llamazeres, the former leader of the coalition Izquierda Unida, a small party to the left of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE). Without asking more questions, he used the head and hair of this politician.

The photo was subsequently used, especially for the site “Rewards for Justice”, which lists the most wanted criminals by the United States. A Spanish daily, El Mundo, was quick to notice the confusion and refer to the biggest embarrassment of the FBI.

Ken Hoffman, spokesman for the FBI quoted by Spanish newspaper, said that FBI technicians had called “his own images to Google. “This has done is totally illegal. It is contrary to the established process of stealing the features of a photograph published in its entirety, “acted as spokesman, who promises that the photos have been removed from the site.

The apology did not quieted the ire of Llamazeres Gaspar, who has asked the Spanish government to officially ask the U.S. on this issue. “The safety of bin Laden fears nothing but mine is!” He said, before indicating that he reserved the right to initiate legal proceedings against the United States.