Madrid- Spanish officials have formally rejected an application for political asylum from a son of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the son's lawyer announced Saturday.

Along with rejecting the application, the administrative decision also disallows any appeals.

Omar bin Laden, 28, applied for asylum in Spain Monday. He and his his British wife Zaina al-Sabah, 52, were in Madrid on a stopover for a flight from Cairo to Casablanca in Morocco.

He requested asylum on the grounds that he did not feel safe in Saudi Arabia, where he is a citizen, or in Egypt, where he lives, or in any other Arab country.

However, Spain's Interior Ministry rejected the application, saying that bin Laden does not face persecution in his native Saudi Arabia. It based its decision partly on a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Bin Laden termed the decision "unjust" and said he was being denied asylum purely because of his last name. While in Spain, he rejected his father's activities and termed himself a "man of peace."

Bin Laden's attorney criticized the decision, arguing that bin Laden is harmless and is seeking asylum for political reasons. Bin Laden has been detained at the Madrid airport since Monday.

Omar bin Laden is the fourth of 19 children fathered by Osama bin Laden. In April, he made an unsuccessful bid for political asylum in Britain. (dpa)