Royal family says it has no responsibility in Filali's affair

The royal family says that it has no responsibility whatsoever in the case of Fouad Filali, that he is no longer linked to the royal family and that his problems fall within the scope of justice, the official spokesman of the Royal Palace, Hassan Aourid, said over the weekend.

According to press reports, Fouad Filali-- the ex-husband of Princess Lalla Meriem-- is involved in a large-scale money laundering operation, in which three Moroccan citizens, namely Steve Ohana, Steve Benamou and David Cohen, were arrested in France end of last month.

Fouad Filali, former chief of the largest Moroccan private group, ONA, is the son of former Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdellatif Filali.

"Since his divorce with the princess, Fouad Filali has no contact whatsoever with the royal family. He only sees his children, when he is in Morocco," the spokesman said.

The spokesman recalled that the Moroccan ambassador to France asked Filali a few days ago to return the diplomatic passport he holds. He cannot claim any kind of immunity.

The spokesman further underlined that Steve Ohana had never had any contact with the Late King Hassan II. The concerned person had never run the property of the late king nor that of the royal family, the spokesman said, adding that Ohana, who might have met members of the royal family when he was in Fouad Filali's entourage when the latter was married to the princess, cannot allege any relation whatsoever or friendship with the royal family.