Jordan on Sunday said it foiled a “destabilising plot” involving Hamzah, King Abdullah II’s half-brother, over the weekend, which has led to the arrest of several high-profile figures…reports Asian Lite News
Jordan’s former Crown Prince Hamzah said in a voice recording that he won’t obey orders by the army not to leave the house or communicate with anyone.
Jordan on Sunday said it foiled a “destabilising plot” involving Hamzah, King Abdullah II’s half-brother, over the weekend, which has led to the arrest of several high-profile figures, dpa news agency reported.
The army said Hamzah was asked to refrain from activities that could be damaging to the Kingdom’s stability.
Hamzah said in videos that he was told not to leave the house.
Hamzah’s voice recording seems to have been sent to one of his acquaintances and has been shared by Jordanians on social media since Sunday night.
The former Crown prince said he will not make any immediate moves because he does not want to “escalate” the situation, but he also does not plan to follow instructions limiting his freedoms.
“But I will not abide by what they say, you cannot go out, you cannot tweet, you cannot communicate with people and you are only allowed to see family,”he said in the recording.
Also read:Jordan’s Prince Hamzah under house arrest
Investigations led to the arrest of Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, a former chief of the royal court, and Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, authorities said.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said investigations showed there were movements by Hamzah, Awadallah and Bin Zaid targeting the Kingdom’s stability and security, and that they were in contact with “foreign parties.”
Hamzah, 41, was Jordan’s Crown Prince between 1999 and 2004, when Abdullah removed him and appointed his own son.
At the time, he said he will remain a devout support to Abdullah in official letter published by state media.
Support from Arab neighbours poured in to King Abdullah.
Saudi Arabia expressed its full support to “any decisions or measures” taken by King Abdullah and Crown Prince al-Hussein to maintain the security and stability of the kingdom.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council have issued similar statements.