By STEVE HENDRIX | The Washington Post | Published: April 22, 2021 JERUSALEM Jordanian authorities said Thursday they would release most of those arrested this month for allegedly plotting to destabilize the rule of King Abdullah II. The arrests, which occurred simultaneously in locations around the country and included members of the royal family, have roiled the usually staid Middle Eastern nation, a key U.S. ally in the region. Sixteen of those detained would be freed, according to a statement from the State Security Court. Two other two individuals royal family member Sharif Hassan bin Zaid and former finance minister Bassem Awadallah were described as having different roles in the alleged plot and would remain imprisoned, the statement said.
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.