Spain’s state-owned broadcaster invoked ridicule after a research gaffe saw it run a news report on al-Qaeda accidentally carrying the logo of Star Wars’ rebel alliance.

Morning show La Mañana on Television Española likened the militant group to the band of rebels championed by the sci-fi movies during a report into Isis’s presence in the Syrian city of Raqqa.

Harkening back to the al-Qaeda's former occupancy of the city, the Star Wars logo appeared in a graphic behind the anchor.

Reporter Jota Abil has issued an apology for the slip-up.

Mashable reports that the logo was pulled from the Facebook page of an "urban music" record label called Alqaeda'In.