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Jordan bans Muslim Brotherhood after ‘sabotage plot’ uncovered
The Brotherhood represents the largest opposition force in the country but has long been criticised over its alleged ties to terror groups
April 23, 2025 14:55
The Brotherhood represents the largest opposition force in the country but has long been criticised over its alleged ties to terror groups
April 23, 2025 14:55Jordan has banned the Muslim Brotherhood after allegedly uncovering a “sabotage plot” involving its members.
Interior Minister Mazen Fraya announced that the decision to outlaw the group will take effect immediately.
The Brotherhood’s political wing, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), is the main opposition force in the lower house of the nation’s parliament, holding almost a quarter of the seats.
But, last week, Jordanian authorities arrested 16 people accused of planning attacks on targets inside the kingdom, reportedly including drone and rocket strikes.
Officials claim that the suspects have links to the Brotherhood and were trained in and financed from Lebanon.
Following the arrests, Fraya has now confirmed that the Brotherhood will be outlawed in its entirety despite its sizeable political presence.
The group has long been accused of having links with terror organisations, including both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The decision marks a significant shift in Jordan’s policy, with the Brotherhood allowed to operate legally in the country for decades and building up a significant support base, especially among Jordanians of Palestinian descent.
It also brings Jordan into line with various other Arab nations who designate the Brotherhood as a terror group, including Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, this designation is not shared by the UK, US or EU.
Fraya added that the group’s assets have now been seized and its premises in Jordan will be shut down.
Membership of the Brotherhood or the “promotion of its ideology” is now illegal in the kingdom. This also includes publishing any material created by the group in any form.
The Brotherhood has not yet commented on the ban, but more generally insists that it is a non-violent movement that pursues Islamism through peaceful means and has distanced itself from Islamist militant groups.