A commission is looking into a British police officer who wore an Osama bin Laden mask, robes and traditional Arab scarf at a community carnival.

Chief Superintendent Colin Terry, who had trained police in Afghanistan, was photographed wearing the costume just days before the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission which has issued a preliminary statement: “Whilst we believe his actions were misguided rather than malicious, they were clearly inappropriate.”

The Guardian quotes Terry as saying, “I am quite horrified that someone would see this negatively.” He adds that he didn’t mean to cause offense.

A Foreign Office spokesman has already said Terry won’t be going back on any European Union training missions.

Tags: bin Laden, costume, police