Lawyers deny ties to Colombian rebels

MEXICO CITY, March 11 (UPI) -- Legal representatives for a Cuban-born Mexican man accused of having ties to Colombian rebels say he is innocent.

Mario Dagoberto Diaz Orgaz is the center of an investigation by Mexican authorities into whether he is a Cuban intelligence officer who helped facilitate contact between Mexicans and Colombia's leftist rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, El Universal reported Tuesday.

Authorities allege Mario Dagoberto Diaz Orgaz led a group of Mexican students to an FARC camp in Ecuador, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. During a Colombian military attack on the camp March 1, a top FARC guerrilla and at least 26 others, including at least four Mexicans, were killed. Mexican intelligence officials say Diaz Orgaz left the FARC camp before the bombing.

The attack touched off a diplomatic crisis among Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

Diaz Orgaz's suspected links with Venezuela could heighten concerns by Mexican and U.S. officials that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's ties to Cuba encourage the efforts of Cuba's intelligence services.