Johannesburg - DA leader Tony Leon has dismissed as "complete nonsense" claims he was involved in an alleged e-mail plot against axed deputy president Jacob Zuma.

"I have never seen the e-mails. I have just been told they exist and that my name is mentioned in some sort of chat room that has been manufactured and that I was chatting with some journalist," said Leon.

They were both alleged to be in some sort of conspiracy to deal with Zuma.

"Of course its complete nonsense," he said.

The NIA would have "lost its way" if it had been spying on the DA, he said.

Reports about the scandal involving senior NIA officials and a possible police raid at the NIA offices raised "serious" concerns about the country's state of national security, the DA said over the weekend.

Infighting within the ANC was costing the NIA valuable time and resources, which could be used in curtailing the soaring crime rate.

With acknowledegments to Sapa and News24.