CIA designed Osama bin Laden doll 'to scare children in Middle East'

The action man type figurine was developed as a prototype with a face that peeled away when heated to reveal a red demonic mask.

In 2006, the CIA with the help of a toymaker in China developed three prototypes of an Osama bin Laden action figure doll, seen here is the regular and demonic head.

Spy bosses ordered several prototypes of a unique action man-type figurine whose face peeled away and turned into a red demonic mask when heated up, the Washington Post reports.

After the 9/11 attacks, it is thought the plan was to spook children in the Middle East and their parents into being scared of bin Laden's influence.

CIA asked toy bosses to come up with a design for the top secret project, which had the codename Devil Eyes, reports say.

G.I. Joe toymaker Donald Levine, a former executive at Hasbro, was supposedly targeted by spy chiefs to create the doll.

The Korean War veteran died last month 86 years old after battling cancer and in response to the questions, his family told US media: "When called on, he was honored to assist our country.”

No precise figure was given as to how many toys were made but reports say 'hundreds' were made and sent on to a freighter to the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2006.

CIA spokesperson Ryan Trapani told the paper: "To our knowledge, there were only three individual action figures ever created, and these were merely to show what a final product might look like.

“After being presented with these examples, the CIA declined to pursue this idea and did not produce or distribute any of these action figures.

"Furthermore, CIA has no knowledge of these action figures being produced or distributed by others.”

Recently Tony Blair has come under fire for the War on Terror after lacking a plan for life after Saddam Hussein was toppled in Iraq.

Mr Blair is expected to face criticism in the report over questionable claims Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and the way he took Britain to war.