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The release had come after families of the accused petitioned the palace for forgiveness.
Later on Thursday, state news operator Petra quoted Brig. Gen. Hazem Majali, the public prosecutor of the military court, as saying the defendants were freed “within legal frameworks and standards” based on the king’s “concern for the good of the country and citizen.”
Family members scrambled to pick up their relatives from the headquarters of Jordan’s General Intelligence Directorate on the outskirts of the capital, Amman.
“They were released with no charges. Hopefully they’ll be having
iftar in their homes tonight,” said Hisham Majali, from whose tribe two members were arrested. He referred to the traditional breaking of the fast held after sunset during the month of Ramadan.
Jordan s powerful tribes on collision course with monarchy over alleged royal plot yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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As the names of some those captured seeped out many are still unknown Jordanians were shocked. Most of those arrested hailed from the country’s so-called East Bank tribes, the powerful clans that for decades had been the monarchy’s sword and shield, its soldiers and statesmen. East Bankers consider themselves the country’s Indigenous inhabitants, rather than the Jordanians of Palestinian origin who came from areas west of the Jordan River.
The arrests, officials say, were the result of a year-long surveillance operation by the army, police and intelligence service. In their telling, they struck just before the zero hour, averting a wave of chaos and discontent that Prince Hamzah hoped to unleash and ride into the palace to replace his half brother, King Abdullah II.
Jordan s powerful tribes on collision course with monarchy over alleged royal plot msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.