Jordanian authorities announce foiled plot against the king

Jordan’s royal family usually shows the world a united front, but on Sunday, authorities announced former Crown Prince Hamzah, 41, had worked with foreign leaders to destabilize the kingdom. Police arrested at least 14 people in connection with the alleged plot. Hamzah released a recording on Monday saying he would not comply with government security agencies’ order to remain at home and stop all public communication. The United States quickly expressed support for King Abdullah II, an important ally in the Middle East.

Who is Hamzah? Hamzah and Abdullah are half-brothers, both sons of the late King Hussein. Hamzah was Jordan’s crown prince until Abdullah made his son heir instead in 2004. While he has avoided directly criticizing the king, Hamzah in recent years has built relationships with tribal leaders and sought to gain sympathy with the public by pointing out government corruption and mismanagement.

Dig Deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s report about calls for King Abdullah II to stop kicking out Christian workers.