Jordan accuses Prince Hamzah of plot to destabilise kingdom - BBC News

The former crown prince of Jordan is accused of trying to mobilise tribal leaders against the government, the country's deputy prime minister says.

Prince Hamzah bin Hussein worked with "foreign entities" to destabilise the state, Ayman Safadi said.

The prince had earlier released two videos to the BBC, claiming he was being held under house arrest.

He denied conspiracy, but accused Jordan's leaders of corruption and incompetence.

Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and another member of the royal family, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly threatening security.

In his videos, Prince Hamzah, the king's half-brother, said he had been told he could not go out or communicate with people.

The move is thought to follow a visit by the prince to tribal leaders, where he is said to have garnered some support.

• Prince Hamzah's message in full

His mother, American-born Queen Noor, has said she is praying for what she called innocent victims of "wicked slander".

What is the prince accused of?

Responding to the fallout on Sunday, Mr Safadi said Prince Hamzah had used the videos to distort facts and incite empathy, according to the state news agency, Petra.

He told a news conference that the prince had been liaising with foreign parties about destabilising the country and had been being monitored for some time.

The prince is accused of seeking to mobilise "clan leaders" against the government.

But the plot had been "nipped in the bud", Petra quoted the deputy PM as saying.

Mr Safadi went on to allege that a man with links to foreign security services had offered Prince Hamzah's wife, Princess Basmah, a flight out of Jordan. He did not specify which foreign security service was apparently involved.

KHALIL MAZRAAWI

Mr Safadi said officials had tried to discourage the prince rather than take legal action against him, but that Prince Hamzah had "dealt with this request negatively". He noted that dialogue was ongoing.

Regional powers including Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have voiced support for King Abdullah in the wake of the operation.

The United States, which is allied with Jordan in its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group, described the monarch as a key partner who has its full support.

The UK also backed the king. "The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a greatly valued partner for the UK," said James Cleverly, minister for Middle East and North Africa.

What's behind this?

Tensions within the royal household had been visible for some time, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis told the BBC.

"The former crown prince is also seen as popular. He has a very candid resemblance to his father, King Hussein, and he is also very popular with the local tribes," she said.

Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe.

— Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) April 4, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Jordan has few natural resources and its economy has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also absorbed waves of refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

However, high-level political arrests are rare. The country's powerful intelligence agency has gained extra powers since the pandemic began, drawing criticism from rights groups.

Some commentators said the prince's criticism of corruption in the kingdom struck a chord with many in the country.

"What Prince Hamzah said is repeatedly heard in the homes of every Jordanian," said Ahmad Hasan al Zoubi, a prominent Jordanian columnist.

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Who is Prince Hamzah?

The oldest son of the late King Hussein and his favourite wife Queen Noor, Prince Hamzah is a graduate of the UK's Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He also attended Harvard University in the US and has served in the Jordanian armed forces.

He was named crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and was a favourite of King Hussein, who often described him in public as the "delight of my eye".

However, he was seen as too young and inexperienced to be named successor at the time of King Hussein's death.

Instead his older half-brother, Abdullah, ascended the throne and stripped Hamzah of the title of crown prince in 2004, giving it to his own son.

The move was seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who had hoped to see her eldest son become king.

Who else has been arrested?

Others detained on Saturday include Bassem Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, a member of the royal family.

Mr Awadallah, an economist who was educated in the US, has been a confidant of the king and an influential force in Jordan's economic reforms.

He has often found himself pitted against entrenched government bureaucracy resistant to his plans, observers say.

No members of the armed forces were said to be among those detained over the alleged plot.

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2021-04-04 17:28:25Z
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Prince Hamza planned to 'destabilise Jordan' with foreign parties, says country's deputy PM - Sky News

Jordan's Prince Hamza bin al-Hussein planned to "destabilise" the country in a plot which involved "foreign parties", according to the country's deputy prime minister.

Foreign minister and deputy PM Ayman Safadi said Jordanian intelligence had intercepted certain communications at what he called the "zero hour".

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Safadi addressed the situation in the Middle Eastern country which saw almost 20 people arrested.

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Prince Hamza said earlier he is under house arrest after being accused of attending meetings that included 'criticism of the King'

Mr Safadi said that a "foreign intelligence agency" had been in contact with Prince Hamza's wife to supply them with a plane out of the country.

He said: "The investigations had monitored interferences and communications with foreign parties over the right timing to destabilise Jordan.

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"Initial investigations showed these activities and movements had reached a stage that directly affected the security and stability of the country, but his majesty decided it was best to talk directly to Prince Hamza, to deal with it within the family to prevent it from being exploited."

It comes after Prince Hamza spoke in a video leaked to several broadcasters, saying he was visited early on Saturday by the country's military chief and told "I was not allowed to go out, to communicate with people or to meet with them".

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Prince Hamza is a former crown prince, as his half-brother King Abdullah removed him from the line of succession in 2004.

The pair share a father in the late King Hussein, but have different mothers.

Prince Hamza's mother, Queen Noor of Jordan, said in a tweet: "Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe."

Mr Safadi said that Prince Hamza and those who had been detained will be referred to the state security court.

Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander. God bless and keep them safe.

— Noor Al Hussein (@QueenNoor) April 4, 2021

Asked whether anyone in the military had been detained, the deputy PM said "there is no talk of arresting any members of the armed forces" in connection with the plot.

Image: King Abdullah of Jordan

Some 14 to 16 people were arrested, Mr Safadi said, as well as two other senior officials whose detentions had been previously confirmed.

In a statement posted by Jordan's state news agency on Saturday, it was said that Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, another member of the royal family, and Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, a former confidant of King Abdullah II, had been arrested.

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2021-04-04 13:45:50Z
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Nicola Sturgeon says 'better times ahead' as Scots face 'difficult Easter again' - Daily Record

Nicola Sturgeon has announced 'better times lie ahead' as Scots face another 'difficult Easter'.

The First Minister said we now have 'hope' in the fight against Covid-19 and urged the country to stay positive.

The SNP leader took to social media this morning as she shared her Easter message.

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Posting a video on Twitter she said: "The story of Christ's death and resurrection is one of inspiration and hope for many millions of people across our world.

"Of course hope is now what we have again in our fight against Covid.

"I know this will be a difficult Easter again for many, separated from loved ones, but please know better times do lie ahead."

Sturgeon also praised the role of Christian values during the coronavirus crisis and the sacrifices made by faith communities.

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Following the winter lockdown, the Scottish Government's route map back to normality allowed churches to reopen from March 26, though a legal challenge to restrictions by church leaders led to them reopening two days earlier.

In a message to those celebrating the holy day, Ms Sturgeon said restrictions on capacity in churches "mean this Easter still won't be completely normal for Christians across our country".

"Many will still take part in religious services virtually, but won't be able to come together in the usual way to celebrate Christ's resurrection," she said.

The SNP leader added that Easter is a time for celebration, but also "a time for reflection and prayer".

"In these times of crisis, the central Christian values of kindness, compassion and love are more important than ever," she said.

"And looking back on the last year, I have been deeply moved by the work of Christians in Scotland, who have come together to help those in most need during these difficult times."

Reflecting on the "joy and hope of the Easter message", she wished Christians celebrating in churches and at home a "happy, healthy and peaceful Easter".

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross also issued an Easter message.

He said: "This is a time for coming together. The last year has been incredibly tough on all of us but our collective community spirit and kindness has kept shining through.

"Whatever your faith, I wish you a happy and peaceful Easter."

In his Easter message, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there is a "sense of hope and optimism" as we "begin to come through" the coronavirus crisis.

He added: "And for that I want to say thank you to all our amazing frontline workers who have continued to go above and beyond.

"And I hope we can capture that spirit of hope and optimism, to pull our country together, to focus on national recovery and come through this crisis as a stronger and fairer nation.

"So, I hope you have a great Easter weekend - happy Easter."

The Scottish Greens' Ross Greer MSP said the party "send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Easter today".

Top news stories today

He added: "The restrictions on coming together to worship in person were necessary but have been a source of great pain for many of us in recent months.

"I am immensely grateful that, thanks to the sacrifices and efforts of so many people, I will be able to join my own congregation in person today as we open our doors for the first time this year to celebrate Easter Sunday."

He added that faith communities have protected "many of our most vulnerable from the terrible effects of loneliness" and said he hopes the "renewed community spirit of the last year will stay with us as we journey together into a post-pandemic world".

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2021-04-04 10:10:52Z
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Covid nightmare: Vaccine panic as NEW Brazil variant 'alters itself to defeat antibodies' - Daily Express

Brazil variant: Expert on P1 Manaus strain's impact on vaccine

Brazil is already struggling to cope with the virus, with almost 13 million cases and more than 330,000 deaths. The P.1 strain previously identified is estimated to be between 1.4 and 2.2 times more transmissible than the original virus.

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There is already a P.2 variant, and preliminary research authored by scientists including those at Brazil's Department of Virology suggests the virus is continuing to alter itself in Brazil, deleting sites on the spike protein which antibodies bind to in a development that would prevent vaccines from working.

The report has not yet been peer-reviewed - but highlighted the uncertainty of the current situation.

Brazil is currently recording roughly a quarter of all COVID-19 deaths - despite being home to less than three percent of the world's population.

The Amazonian city of Manaus is one of the hardest-hit regions of the country.

The new mutation may make the virus resistant to all vaccines, the study indicated (Image: GETTY)

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's President (Image: GETTY)

William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Heath, told Scientific American: “It’s quite hard to come up with any scenario that can be made to fit Manaus which is not hugely concerning.

“Following the tragedy of Manaus, I would hope we can put an end to discussion of controlling the pandemic through herd immunity acquired from natural infection."

Dan Barouch, an immunologist at Harvard University, commented: “These viral variants provide a very strong argument for accelerating the vaccine campaign throughout the world because only with vaccination will we be able to control the pandemic and stop the emergence of new viral variants.

“And viral variants in the future, potentially, will be even more problematic than the ones we have today.”

JUST IN: Sturgeon under pressure as rivals condemn £60m election 'bribe

WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove, (Image: GETTY)

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What is happening in Brazil is a global menace

José Miguel Bernucci

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said Brazilian hospitals were in critical condition, with many intensive care units 90 percent full.

WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove told a briefing: "Indeed there is a very serious situation going on in Brazil right now, where we have a number of states in critical condition."

Neighbouring Chile has closed its borders to all foreigners on Thursday, while tightening a severe lockdown, as it surpassed one million cases recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Jose Miguel Bernucci, secretary of Chile's National Medical Association, said: "What is happening in Brazil is a global menace.

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Brazil now has the second-highest number of cases - and deaths - in the world (Image: JHU)

"Closing the borders won't help us so much with the variants that we already have here, but with the new variants that can continue to be created."

Countries around the region have expressed concern Brazil is a breeding ground for new variants, as cases surge and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro refuses to support masks and lockdowns.

Having previously expressed scepticism about immunisations, Bolsonaro said on Thursday he would only decide whether he would receive a vaccine himself after all Brazilians have been vaccinated.

Brazil has been slow to roll out its vaccine campaign, with only about seven percent of the population having received a first shot.

Increasing numbers of Brazilians are calling for Jair Bolsonaro's impeachment (Image: GETTY)

Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19

Mr Bolsonaro is consequently under increasing pressure domestically, with the heads of the army, navy and air force all having quit in recent days.

In a poll carried out last month, 54 percent of respondents described his management of the Covid crisis as "bad" or "very bad", up from 48 percent in January.

His political opponents have demanded his impeachment over his handling of the crisis.

Marcelo Queiroga, Brazil's fourth health minister since the pandemic began, said he hoped to include veterinary facilities that make vaccines for pets in a bid to step up production.

Marcelo Queiroga, Brazil's latest health minister (Image: GETTY)

He told reporters: "This is not just to supply the internal market and increase our capacity but also for Brazil, as a leader in Latin America, can offer its vaccines to other countries."

Brazil's Fiocruz Institute has a partnership with AstraZeneca Plc to manufacture its vaccine, while the Butantan Institute has a similar partnership with China's Sinovac Biotech to make CoronaVac.

Butantan has also separately developed a vaccine of its own that is going through early-stage studies.

Mr Queiroga would not be drawn on specifics, such as the capacity of veterinary facilities and whether any initiative would require pharma companies to waive intellectual property rights.

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2021-04-04 10:10:00Z
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Arrests made in Dubai after naked women seen posing on balcony - ITV News

Police in Dubai arrested a group of people on charges of public debauchery, authorities said, over a widely shared video that showed naked women posing on a balcony in the city.

Violations of the public decency law in the United Arab Emirates, including for nudity and other “lewd behaviour”, carry penalties of up to six months in prison and a 5,000 dirham (£984) fine.

The sharing of pornographic material is also punishable with prison time and hefty fines under the country’s laws, which are based on Islamic law, or Shariah.

Late on Saturday, videos and photographs depicting over a dozen naked women, lined up on a balcony while being filmed in Dubai’s upmarket Marina neighbourhood in broad daylight, splashed across social media.

It came as a shock in the federation of seven Arab sheikhdoms, where tamer behaviour, like kissing in public or drinking alcohol without a licence, has landed people in jail.

Credit: Yui Mok/PA

State-linked newspaper The National reported it appeared to be a “publicity stunt,” without elaborating.

Dubai police said those arrested over the “indecent” video had been referred to the public prosecution.

“Such unacceptable behaviours,” the police statement said, “do not reflect the values and ethics of Emirati society.”

The UAE, while liberal in many regards compared to its Middle Eastern neighbours, has strict laws governing expression.

People have been jailed for their comments and videos online.

The country’s majority state-owned telecom companies block access to major pornographic websites.

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2021-04-04 08:37:00Z
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Jordan's army chief denies king's half-brother has been arrested in alleged coup attempt - Sky News

Jordan's top military official has denied reports that the king's half-brother has been arrested as part of an alleged coup attempt against the monarch.

But Major General Yousef Huneiti did say that Prince Hamza bin Al-Hussein was asked to stop "movements and activities that are used to target" the security and stability of Jordan.

It came after The Washington Post reported that the prince had been detained, while a video purporting to him under house arrest was leaked to several broadcasters.

Image: King Abdullah of Jordan

But in a statement posted by Jordan's state news agency, it was said that Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, another member of the royal family, and Bassem Ibrahim Awadallah, a former confidant of King Abdullah II, had been arrested.

Hamza bin Al-Hussein was a former crown prince of Jordan, but was removed as heir to the throne by King Abdullah in 2004 in what was seen as a consolidation of power.

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The tradition of the ruling Hashemite dynasty under the 1952 constitution gives the crown to the eldest son, but the monarch retains the option of naming a brother to be next in line.

The pair share a father in the late King Hussein, but have different mothers.

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Mr Awadallah previously served as a finance minister and chief of the royal court, before he resigned in 2008.

He has also served as an adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Image: One of those reportedly detained has been an advisor to Mohammed bin Salman

Any political turbulence in Jordan will be of concern to its allies in the West, with the country having been seen as a beacon of stability in the Middle East.

The US state department has already offered the king, who has cultivated close relations with Washington and been a key ally in the war against Islamic State, its "full support".

King Abdullah has ruled Jordan - which borders Israel, the Palestinian territories, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia - since the 1999 death of of his father, King Hussein, who ruled the country for close to half a century.

Jordan's economy has been been battered by the pandemic, which has hit hard its population of 10 million people and more than 600,000 Syrian refugees.

Jordan is also home to more than two million Palestinian refugees, most of whom have Jordanian citizenship.

Image: Syrian refugee children at a camp in Jordan get a lesson on hygiene during the pandemic

Since the start of the pandemic, the Jordanian intelligence agency has played a bigger part in public life. This change has been condemned by civil rights groups.

Riot police last month broke up a protests in the city of Amman, and other regions that were marking the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring.

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2021-04-03 22:12:02Z
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Jordan's Prince Hamzah bin Hussein 'under house arrest' - BBC News

The former crown prince of Jordan says he has been placed under house arrest as part of a crackdown on critics.

In a video passed to the BBC by his lawyer, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the half-brother of King Abdullah, accuses the country's leaders of corruption, incompetence and harassment.

It comes after a number of high-level arrests said to be linked to an alleged coup plot.

The military earlier denied Prince Hamzah was under house arrest.

But it said he had been ordered to stop actions that could be used to target the country's "security and stability".

The move apparently comes after a visit by the prince to tribal leaders where he is said to have garnered some support.

Prince Hamzah has denied any wrongdoing and said he was not part of any conspiracy.

What does the prince say?

In the video recorded on Saturday, he says: "I had a visit from the chief of general staff of the Jordanian armed forces this morning in which he informed me that I was not allowed to go out, to communicate with people or to meet with them because in the meetings that I had been present in - or on social media relating to visits that I had made - there had been criticism of the government or the king."

He says he was not accused of making the criticisms himself.

However, he went on to say: "I am not the person responsible for the breakdown in governance, the corruption and for the incompetence that has been prevalent in our governing structure for the last 15 to 20 years and has been getting worse... And I am not responsible for the lack of faith people have in their institutions.

"It has reached a point where no one is able to speak or express opinion on anything without being bullied, arrested, harassed and threatened."

High level political arrests are rare in Jordan, a key US ally in the Middle East.

• Jordan country profile

The country has a powerful intelligence agency that has been granted new powers since the coronavirus pandemic, which has drawn criticism from rights groups.

Egypt, the US and the Saudi Royal Court have expressed support for King Abdullah.

This is a royal crisis that appears to have spun badly out of control. While Jordan's royals are not the first of the world's royal families to experience that this year, Jordan does have some unique problems of its own.

Its economy, already challenged before the advent of Covid, is in poor shape and there is rising public dissatisfaction. Now, in a video message reminiscent of the one from Dubai's imprisoned Princess Latifa, the son of Jordan's late King Hussein has accused his government of corruption, nepotism and incompetence.

He says all his staff have been arrested, he and his family have been placed under house arrest in the Al-Salaam Palace outside Amman and his communications have been restricted.

In the video, passed to the BBC, he describes a country gripped by fear where anyone who criticises the government risks arrest by the secret police.

Who is Prince Hamzah?

The oldest son of the late King Hussein and his favourite wife Queen Noor, Prince Hamzah is a graduate of the UK's Harrow School and Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and attended Harvard University in the US. He has served in the Jordanian armed forces.

He was named crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and was a favourite of the King Hussein, who often described him in public as the "delight of my eye".

However, he was seen as too young and inexperienced to be named successor at the time of King Hussein's death.

Instead it was King Abdullah to who took to the throne, and he stripped Hamzah of the title of crown prince in 2004.

It was seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who had hoped to see her eldest son become king.

Getty Images

Jordan is a key US ally and has assisted US forces in security operations. It is also a partner in the US-led campaign against the so-called Islamic State.

The country has few natural resources and its economy has been hit hard by the pandemic. The kingdom has also absorbed waves of refugees from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Who else has been arrested?

Getty Images

Others detained on Saturday include Bassem Awadallah, a former finance minister, and Sharif Hassan Bin Zaid, a royal.

Mr Awadallah, an economist who was educated in the US, has been a confidant of the king and an influential force in Jordan's economic reforms.

He has often found himself pitted against entrenched government bureaucracy resistant to his reforms.

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2021-04-03 21:25:10Z
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