AMMAN, Jordan – Officials and associates of a Jordanian prince accused of conspiring to undermine the government were still being held incommunicado by security forces on Tuesday, relatives said, casting doubt on previous claims by the royal court that he had resolved an unusual audience and bitter cleft.
The royal court issued a statement less than a day ago saying the prince, Hamzah bin Hussein, had sworn allegiance to King Abdullah II, his older half-brother. But Prince Hamzah’s chief of staff, Yasser Majali, and Majali’s cousin, Samir Majali, are still being held in an unknown location, according to his family, who comes from one of Jordan’s main tribes.
The two were arrested on Saturday, the day the government claimed the prince was involved in a plot to destabilize the kingdom’s stability.
“Every time we call someone, they say we will be in touch with you,” said Abdassah Majali, Yasser’s brother, in an account corroborated by a second senior member of the Majali family. “We still don’t know where they are.”
Prince Hamzah’s whereabouts were also unknown on Tuesday morning. And the Jordanian government issued an order of silence on Tuesday that prevented Jordanian media and social media users from discussing the case.
The events are the latest twists in a real feud that exploded to the public over the weekend, changing the family’s reputation for discretion and the country’s image as a rare haven of stability in a turbulent region.
Jordan is a key partner in regional counterterrorism missions, a base for American troops and aircraft, and an important recipient of American aid. Bordering Syria, Iraq, Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, it is considered an important interlocutor in regional diplomacy – and an axis of any potential peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Over the weekend, the Jordanian government arrested several officials and associates of Prince Hamzah and accused the prince himself of working with a former royal adviser and cabinet minister, Bassem Awadallah, to undermine the country’s stability.
The government’s statements indicated that the prisoners were involved in a coup attempt supported by foreigners, but did not use this direct language.
Prince Hamzah responded with two videos in which he criticized his brother’s government, but denied involvement in any conspiracy and said he was being held under house arrest – an allegation the government has denied.
On Monday night, spirits seemed to have calmed, when the royal palace issued a written statement on behalf of the prince, in which he promised “to support His Majesty in his efforts to protect Jordan and its interests in the nation”.
But the uncertainty on Tuesday about the whereabouts of Majalis and the prince himself suggests that tensions have not completely dissipated.
The government’s narrative was also questioned on Tuesday by a leaked recording of a conversation last week between the prince and the head of the Jordanian army, Major General Yousef Huneiti.
In the recording, obtained by The New York Times and other media, the general seems to recognize that the prince did not personally move against the king, but instead attended social gatherings where other people criticized the government.
With the increase in coronavirus-related deaths in Jordan, the prince’s allies say he attended more funerals and funerals than usual.
“During these meetings, there was talk about the government’s role and the role of the Crown Prince,” General Huneiti said, according to the recording.
“Did this conversation come from me?” replied Prince Hamzah.
“No,” said the general. “From the people you were meeting. We both know, sir, that has crossed the red lines. People started to speak more than they should. Therefore, I hope that your royal highness will remain and refrain from attending such occasions. “
The Majali family expressed doubts that any relatives were in a position to support an alleged conspiracy to destabilize the kingdom.
Samir Majali had met Prince Hamzah only a few times for lunch, in his formal capacity as a tribal elder, said Samir’s cousin, Hisham Majali.
Yasser was convalescing at home after a heart attack followed by a coronavirus attack, and he had not been working for several weeks, said his brother, Abdullah Majali.
Neither had a connection to Awadallah, his relatives said.
“They don’t even know him,” said Abdullah. “It is unacceptable for them to associate their names.”
Many Jordanians also believe that Prince Hamzah himself and Mr. Awadallah are unlikely to be co-conspirators. Prince Hamzah is closely linked to Jordan’s indigenous tribes such as the Majalis, while Awadallah, a former head of the royal court, is one of many Jordanian citizens of Palestinian families.
The pair have different views on economic and political politics. And while Awadallah was frequently the target of government critics while in office, the prince presents himself as an advocate for good governance.