Jordanian king’s half-brother questioned for possible conspiracy | NOW

Former Crown Prince Hamza Bin Hussein, who is also the half-brother of Jordan’s King Abdullah (pictured), has been asked about a possible plot against the royal family. He says he himself was under house arrest by the army, which forbids him to have contact with anyone. According to the official press agency Petra Hamza was questioned for security reasons.

In Jordan, the royal family still has a lot of political power. Arrests of senior officials and members of the royal family are rare in Jordan, a country considered one of the most stable countries in the region. This makes Hamza’s imprisonment and interrogation of other members of the royal family remarkable.

The Washington Post and press agency Reuters sources report that this is Hamza’s attempt to destabilize the country. He is said to have prepared a coup d’état with the support of about 20 others. King Abdullah, favorably disposed towards the West, relieved Hamza as heir to the throne in 2004, strengthening his own position of power.

The interview is said to be part of an ongoing security investigation. Nearly twenty people were arrested in this context, reports Petra. These include former finance minister Bassem Awadallah and a member of the royal family Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid.

Hamza sent a critical video message while under house arrest

Hamza showed up on Saturday night, according to the TV channel Al Jazeera know in a video message that he is under house arrest. The army command reportedly told him that he should not have contact with anyone. The former crown prince says his safety has been taken and his internet is cut off, as is his phone connection.

Hamza denies being involved in a conspiracy against his half-brother, but has criticized the current regime. “I am not the person responsible for the collapse of the board of directors, the corruption and incompetence that has reigned in our board structure for the past fifteen to twenty years.”

After the arrests, King Abdullah received statements of support from Saudi Arabia and the United States, among others.