Amman, (Samajweekly) Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said that a “malicious plot” to destabilise the country by former Crown Prince Hamzah, royal court chief Bassem Awadallah, and royal family member Sharif Hassan Ben Zeid, has been foiled.
In a statement on Sunday, Safadi, who is also the Foreign Minister, said: “Jordan succeeded in taking all necessary measures to foil the malicious plot and the security bodies intervened at the last minute and foiled these attempts seeking to harm Jordan’s stability and security.”
Safadi said as part of a thorough security operation and investigation, Awadallah and Sharif Hassan were arrested as well as around 15 other persons on Saturday for involvement in the plot, reports Xinhua news agency.
The minister said no military generals were arrested and the military establishment was not part of these attempts.
Asked if legal measures will be taken against the Prince, King Abdullah’s half-brother, he said King Abdullah II wants to resolve the issue within the Hashemite family.
Safadi said that communications between the Prince’s wife and a foreign individual affiliated with foreign security forces were intercepted on Saturday.
This individual offered to provide a jet to facilitate the escape to a foreign country from Jordan.
He added that the King was informed of the outcomes of the investigation and decided to directly converse with the prince and tackle the manner as a familial issue.
On Saturday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Jordan’s army Yousef Huneiti denied reports that Prince Hamzah had been detained, and said he has been asked to cease all activities used to target the “country’s security and stability”.
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.
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