MOROCCAN GROUP DENIES SMUGGLING DRUGS TO ALGERIA

RABAT, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Morocco's outlawed Islamist opposition al-Adl Wal
Ihsane (Justice and Charity) group on Saturday denied any involvement in
smuggling cannabis and arms to Algeria.

Algeria's Liberte daily and the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper
reported on Saturday that Algerian security forces recently arrested an
active member of al-Adl Wal Ihsane involved in drugs and arms trafficking.

"This information is baseless...Our movement has nothing to do with drugs
and arms trafficking...This a pure manipulation of public opinion,"
Fathallah Arsalane, the spokesman of al-Adl Wal Ihsane, told Reuters.

Arsalane said his group would issue a statement to respond to what he
termed "anti-Islamist propaganda and disinformation of security services."

The Algiers-based Liberte, referring to what it described as a reliable
source, announced the seizure of seven kg (15.4 pounds) of dynamite sticks
and a large quantity of cannabis resin hidden in a vehicle with Moroccan
number plates.

The seizure took place few days ago at a police checkpoint near Maghnia, 35
kms (22 miles) from the Moroccan border, it said.