AMMAN, KOMPAS.com – The former crown prince Jordan accused of trying to stir up tribal chiefs to fight the government.
Prince Hamza bin Hussein is working with “foreign entities” to destabilize the country, said Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan Ayman Safadi.
The prince previously released two videos to BBC, claiming that he was placed under house arrest.
Also read: Kingdom of Jordan Cracks, Prince Hamzah Accused of Confusing the State
He denied conspiracy, but accused Jordanian leaders of inability to run the government and of corruption.
Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and other members of the royal family, were arrested on Saturday (3/4/2021) on charges of threatening security.
In his video, Prince Hamzah, the king’s half -brother, said he was forbidden to leave the house or communicate with others.
The move was taken by the government following the prince’s visit to a number of tribal leaders, who were said to have provided support.
Her mother, Ratu Nur, who was born in the United States, said she was praying for her child who she described as an innocent victim of “evil slander”.
What charges are leveled against the prince?
Responding to the furor caused by the video on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said Prince Hamzah had distorted the facts and was trying to attract empathy, state news agencies reported, Petra.
In a press conference, he said Prince Hamza had spoken to parties abroad about destabilizing the country and the government had been watching him for a long time.
The prince was accused of trying to stir up “clan leaders” against the government.
But the plan had been “stopped from the start,” Safadi was quoted as saying Petra.
Safadi later claimed that a man with connections to foreign security services offered Prince Hamzah’s wife, Princess Basmah, a flight out of Jordan. He did not specify which foreign security services were involved.
Also read: Prince Hamzah bin Hussein accused of intending to confuse Jordan with foreign assistance
Powers in the region including Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia voiced support for King Abdullah following the operation.
The United States, which is allied with Jordan in its battle against the group calling itself ISIS, names the king as a key partner that has their full support.
England also supports the king. “The Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan is a very valuable partner for Britain,” said James Cleverly, minister for Middle East and North African affairs.
Who is Prince Hamzah?
Prince Hamzah was the eldest son of the late King Hussein and his favorite wife, Queen Noor. He is a graduate of the Harrow School in England and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He also attended Harvard University in the US and served in the Jordanian armed forces.
He was crowned the crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and is the favorite son of King Hussein, who often refers to it in public as “a pleasure to my eyes.”
However, he was considered too young and inexperienced to be appointed as successor at the death of King Hussein.
Also read: A Prince Accuses King of Jordan of Corruption, This Is the Military Response
His half-brother, Abdullah, ascended the throne and removed the title of crown prince from Hamza in 2004, then gave it to his own son.
The move is seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who hopes her eldest son will become king.
What’s behind this?
Tensions within the royal household have been visible for a long time, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis told BBC.
“The former crown prince is also considered popular. He looks a lot like his father, King Hussein, and he is also very popular among the local tribes,” he said.
Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe.
– Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) April 4, 2021
Other members of the royal family intervened in a scuffle on Twitter on Sunday night, attacking Queen Noor and accusing the event of being a dispute over succession rights.
“Grow up Boys, “wrote Putri Firyal, the ex-wife of Hussein’s and Abdullah’s uncle, Prince Muhammad bin Talal.
However, some observers say the prince’s criticism of corruption in the kingdom of Jordan touched the hearts of many in the country.
“What Prince Hamzah said is repeatedly heard in the homes of every Jordanian,” said Ahmad Hasan al Zoubi, a leading columnist.
Jordan has few natural resources and its economy has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also absorbed a wave of refugees from the civil war in neighboring Syria.
However, high-level political arrests are rare. The country’s intelligence services have gained extra power since the pandemic began, drawing criticism from rights groups.
King Abdullah and his wife Ratu Rania (second from right) attended the wedding ceremony of Prince Hamzah and his first wife Putri Nur (left) with mother Hamzah Ratu Nur (center) in 2004.-Who else was arrested?
Others detained on Saturday included Bassim Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Syarif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.
Awadallah, an economist who once studied in the U.S., has been a king’s confidant and an influential force in Jordan’s economic reform.
He often clashed with the government bureaucracy who rejected his plans, observers said.
No members of the armed forces were reported to be among those arrested on suspicion of conspiracy.
Also read: Jordan is the 17th Country to Report Cases of a New Variant of Corona Virus
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King Abdullah and his wife Ratu Rania (second from right) attended the wedding ceremony of Prince Hamzah and his first wife Putri Nur (left) with mother Hamzah Ratu Nur (center) in 2004.-Who else was arrested?
Others detained on Saturday included Bassim Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Syarif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.
Awadallah, an economist who once studied in the U.S., has been a king’s confidant and an influential force in Jordan’s economic reform.
He often clashed with the government bureaucracy who rejected his plans, observers said.
No members of the armed forces were reported to be among those arrested on suspicion of conspiracy.
Also read: Jordan is the 17th Country to Report Cases of a New Variant of Corona Virus
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