AMMAN, Jordan (AP) –
Jordan’s half-brother, King Abdullah II, said on Saturday that he had been placed under house arrest and accused the country’s “ruling system” of incompetence and corruption, exposing a rare split within the ruling monarchy of a nearby western ally.
The video recorded statement by Prince Hamzah came after the country’s official news agency reported that two former senior officials and other suspects were arrested for “security reasons”, even when authorities denied that Hamzah was arrested or placed in custody. home prison.
In a video that was leaked to British Broadcasting Corp., Hamzah – a former crown prince stripped of his title in 2004 – said he was visited on Saturday by the country’s military chief and said he was not allowed to go out, communicate with people or meet with them.
He said his security posting was removed and his phone and Internet service were cut. He said he was speaking over the Internet via satellite and hoped that the service would also be cut. The BBC said it had received the statement from Hamzah’s lawyer.
Hamzah said he was told he was being punished for attending meetings at which the king had been criticized, although he said he was not accused of participating in the criticism.
He then attacked the “governing system” without mentioning the king’s name, saying that he had decided “that his personal interests, his financial interests, that his corruption are more important than the lives, dignity and future of the 10 million people who live here. ”
“I am not part of any conspiracy, nefarious organization or group supported by foreigners, as is always stated here for those who speak openly,” he said. “There are members of this family who still love this country, who take care (of their people) and will put them above everything.”
“Apparently, this is a crime worthy of isolation, threats and now exclusion,” he added.
It is rare for a senior member of the ruling family to express such harsh criticisms of the government, and any sign of instability in Jordan is likely to raise concerns among the country’s western allies.
Hamzah is a popular figure in Jordan. He is seen as religious and modest, in contact with ordinary people and similar to his beloved father, the late King Hussein. He has criticized the government in the past, accusing officials of “failed management” after they passed an income tax law in 2018.
The country’s top general had previously denied that Hamzah was under arrest or under house arrest. Hamzah was asked to “stop some movements and activities that are being used to achieve Jordan’s security and stability,” Gen. Yousef Huneiti told the official Petra news agency.
He said an investigation was underway and its results would be made public “in a transparent and clear manner”.
“Nobody is above the law and Jordan’s security and stability are above everything,” he added.
Petra had previously reported that Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, and Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, a former head of the royal court, were detained. Awadallah has also previously served as minister of planning and minister of finance and has private commercial interests throughout the Gulf region.
The agency did not provide further details or name the others who were arrested.
Abdullah has ruled Jordan since the 1999 death of his father, King Hussein, who ruled the country for almost half a century. Abdullah has cultivated close relations with the United States and other Western leaders over the years, and Jordan has been an important ally in the war against the Islamic State group. The country borders Israel, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
“We are following the reports closely and are in contact with the Jordanian authorities,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price. “King Abdullah is a key partner for the United States and has our full support.”
Saudi Arabia’s official news agency said the kingdom “confirmed its full support for Jordan and its king and crown prince in all decisions and procedures to maintain security and stability and neutralize any attempt to affect them.”
Jordan’s economy was hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The country, with a population of around 10 million, also welcomes more than 600,000 Syrian refugees.
Jordan made peace with Israel in 1994. Countries maintain close security ties, but relations have been strained in recent years, largely due to differences linked to Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians. Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinian refugees, most of whom have Jordanian citizenship. Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment.
Stability in Jordan and the status of the king have long been a cause for concern, especially during the Trump administration, which gave unprecedented support to Israel and sought to isolate Palestinians, including reducing funding for Palestinian refugees.
In early 2018, while then President Donald Trump threatened to cut aid to countries that did not support U.S. policies, the government increased assistance to Jordan by more than $ 1 billion in five years.
Abdullah removed his stepbrother Hamzah from his title of crown prince in 2004, saying that he had decided to “release” him from “job restrictions” to allow him to take on other responsibilities. The change was seen at the time as part of the consolidation of Abdullah’s power five years after the succession.
The current Crown Prince is Abdullah’s eldest son, Hussein, 26.
Jordan’s ruling family traces its lineage back to the prophet Muhammad of Islam. Abdullah chose Hamzah as his crown prince hours after his father died of cancer in February 1999. The designation was out of respect for King Hussein, who was known to have preferred Hamzah among his 11 children from four marriages.
So far, Abdullah and Hamzah have shown no open rivalry. In the videotaped statement, a portrait of King Hussein can be seen on the wall behind the prince.