AMMAN — The government revealed on Sunday that HRH Prince
Hamzah, his inner circle, and other prominent figures were part of a conspiracy
against Jordan, “successfully aborted”.
اضافة اعلان
“Security agencies, through long-term and comprehensive
joint investigations by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, the General
Intelligence Department, and the Public Security Directorate, have been
following activities and movements by His Royal Highness Prince Hamzah bin Al
Hussein, Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah and others, targeting
the security and stability of the nation,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Ayman Safadi told a press conference.
Sharif Hassan bin Zaid and former minister Bassem Awadallah
were arrested Saturday night, among others. Safadi put the total number of
arrestees between 14 and16.
According to the government statement, Prince Hamzah over
the past period communicated with community leaders, inciting them to undertake
activities meant to undermine national security.
The prince contacted Bassem Awadallah who is one of the
detainees at 2:22pm, sending him a recording of his meeting with the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Youssef Al-Huneiti, which occurred
earlier in the day at the prince’s residence. The alert prompted Awadallah to
try to flee, but he was arrested before his plan came to fruition, according to
the official.
HRH Prince Hamzah published on Saturday two videos, one in
Arabic and another in English claiming to be under house arrest.
The Cabinet statement described the move as “an attempt to
distort facts and to gain sympathy domestically and internationally. His
statements revealed the nature of his intentions and the activities he has been
carrying out for some time.”
The investigation also revealed that one person with ties to
foreign security agencies called the prince’s wife Saturday, offering a flight
out of Jordan, according to Safadi.
Safadi stressed that no incumbent military leaders were
implicated in the case. Deputy Premier told the media that investigations are
still underway and that it will be handled “in accordance with the law and with
utmost transparency.”
Experts and former officials agreed it was apparent that
there was an external interference factor, but they did not point any fingers
at particular states or individuals.
“The government statement included references to the
existence of foreign interference with individuals inside Jordan coordinating
timings and the zero hour, calling for a collective preemptive action,” said
Jawad Anani, former chief of Royal Court and deputy prime minister.
Former government spokesperson and minister of state for
media affairs, Mohammad Momani, highlighted Jordan’s resilience and the unity
of its people.
“Jordan has proven once again that it is stronger and more
resilient than ever. We were tested yesterday and we emerged stronger,” Momani
told Jordan News.
“The international and regional support and solidarity that
Jordan received are a testimony of its regional importance and the wisdom of
the Jordanian leadership”, Momani added.
Former ambassador to the UN, Hasan Abu Nimah, underlined the
“massive number of messages of support conveyed to His Majesty King Abdullah,
soon after the news broke of the security operation”.
These messages, he said, “attest to the huge amount of
respect, and appreciation of His Majesty’s remarkable leadership, not just in
his country but regionally and internationally, in the service of world peace
and security. Jordanian stability has always been recognized worldwide as key
to regional stability. None of our Arab neighbors or our many international
friends, allies and supporters, would want this country’s unique experiment,
which is greatly admired, to be disturbed.”
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