Jordan's Prince Hamzah says he will disobey army orders to keep silent

Half-brother of King Abdullah and former heir to the throne says in recording released by Jordanian opposition that he would not comply after being barred from any activities and told to remain quiet

Reuters|
Jordan's estranged Prince Hamzah said in a voice recording released on Monday that he would disobey orders by the army not to communicate with outside world after he was put under house arrest.
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  • The half-brother of King Abdullah and former heir to the throne said in the recording released by the country's opposition that he would not comply after being barred from any activities and told to keep quiet.
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    ירדן נסיך חמזה יורש העצר לשעבר לכאורה נעצר דיווח על תוכנית הפיכה
    ירדן נסיך חמזה יורש העצר לשעבר לכאורה נעצר דיווח על תוכנית הפיכה
    Jordan's Prince Hamzah
    (Photo: Reuters)
    "I am going to escalate and won't obey when they tell you you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people and are only allowed to see the family," he said in the recording he circulated to friends and contacts.
    On Saturday the military warned the prince over actions it said were undermining "security and stability" in Jordan, a key U.S. ally.
    Prince Hamzah later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were also detained.
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    ירדן נסיך חמזה יורש העצר לשעבר ב חתונה עם רעייתו ועם המלך עבדאללה המלכה רניה אמו המלכה נור
    ירדן נסיך חמזה יורש העצר לשעבר ב חתונה עם רעייתו ועם המלך עבדאללה המלכה רניה אמו המלכה נור
    Prince Hamzah, left, with his half-brother King Abdullah II
    (Photo: AFP)
    Officials announced on Sunday that Hamzah had liaised with people who had contacts with foreign parties in a plot to destabilize the country and he had been under investigation for some time.
    It is unclear why the kingdom decided to crack down on Prince Hamzah now, but he put himself at risk by making frequent visits to tribal gatherings where some people criticized the king.
    Officials said efforts were underway to resolve the crisis within the royal family, in the first such open rift in many years, but Prince Hamzah was not cooperative.
    King Abdullah removed Prince Hamzah from his position as heir to the throne in 2004, in a move that consolidated his power.
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    ירדן המלכה נור עם בנה הנסיך חמזה ב 1999
    ירדן המלכה נור עם בנה הנסיך חמזה ב 1999
    Prince Hamzah with his mother Queen Noor in 1999
    (Photo: AFP)
    Hamzah's mother Queen Noor slammed the allegations against her son as "wicked slander."
    "Praying that truth and justice will prevail for all the innocent victims of this wicked slander," she wrote on Twitter.
    "God bless and keep them safe."
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