A Spanish MP has been horrified to learn that the FBI used an online photograph of him to create an image showing what Osama bin Laden might look like in the present day.

The image using Gaspar Llamazares' photo appeared on a wanted poster updating the US government's 1998 photo of the al-Qaeda leader.

Llamazares, a former leader of the United Left party who was elected to Spain's parliament in 2000, said he would no longer feel safe to travel to the United States after his hair and facial wrinkles appeared on the bin Laden image.

"I was surprised and angered because it's the most shameless use of a real person to make up the image of a terrorist," Llamazares said at a news conference on Saturday.

The photograph of him used to make the wanted poster originally appeared on posters for his 2004 general-election campaign.

"It's almost like out of a comedy if it didn't deal with matters as serious as bin Laden and citizens' security."

Llamazares planned to ask the US government for an explanation and said he reserved the right to take legal action.

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