Jordan’s Prince Hamzah pledges allegiance to king after ‘coup attempt’

Prince Hamzah was accused by the government of liaising with foreign parties to destabilise the country

Jordan's former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein has pledged allegiance to King Abdullah, two days after he was accused of destabilising the country and placed under house arrest.

In a letter released by the palace, he pledged his support for the king. “I put myself at the disposal of His Majesty the King, and I reaffirm that I will always remain committed to the covenant of the ancestors, loyal to their legacy, following in their footsteps, devoted to their path and mission, and to His Majesty the King,” the letter read.

Prince Hamzah — the half-brother of King Abdullah — was accused by the government of plotting to destabilise the country by liaising with foreign parties.

Deputy prime minister Ayman Safadi said investigations had monitored communications with foreign parties over the right timing to destabilise Jordan, according to Reuters. He said 14 to 16 people had been arrested in connection with the plot.

But in a video statement obtained by the BBC, the prince denied being part of “any conspiracy or nefarious organisation or foreign-backed group.” He said he was under house arrest and had been told to stay at home and not communicate with anyone.

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The prince had earlier struck a defiant tone, saying that he does not plan to follow the “unacceptable” orders by the country's security agencies. “I don’t want to escalate now, but of course I will not abide when he tells me ‘you are not allowed to go out, tweet or connect with people and you are only allowed to see family members,’” he said in a voice recording released Monday.

The rift within the ruling family was resolved after mediation by Prince Hassan — brother of former King Hussein, according to the Associated Press.

Prince Hamzah said in the letter that national interest must remain above all else, and “we must all stand behind His Majesty the King in his efforts to safeguard Jordan and its national interests, and ensure the best for the Jordanian people.”

He was appointed the crown prince in 1999, but stripped of the title in 2004 when King Abdullah designated his son as heir.