In brief
Jordan's Interior Ministry has declared a comprehensive ban on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group previously prohibited in several Arab nations. This decision coincides with the arrest of 16 individuals accused of planning terrorist activities involving weapons and drones. The Interior Minister, Mazin Al Farrayeh, linked these threats to the Brotherhood, alleging their efforts to undermine national stability. This move follows Jordan's earlier steps to dissolve the group and raises concerns about the future of the Islamic Action Front, the Brotherhood's political wing, which had previously held a significant presence in parliament.
Jordan's crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood has escalated amid rising security concerns. The country’s authorities reported the recent arrests connected to a plot that involved manufacturing explosives and training combatants. Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh emphasized that the Muslim Brotherhood was operating covertly, engaging in actions detrimental to national security. He noted the discovery of connections to a leader's son who was involved in an explosives manufacturing operation, highlighting the perceived threat posed by the group.Historically, Jordan has taken significant measures against the Brotherhood, instituting a court decision in 2020 aimed at dissolving its operations and closing its headquarters in Amman as early as 2016. The impact of this recent ban on the Islamic Action Front, which had made opposition to the Israeli invasion of Gaza a core part of its electoral campaign, remains to be seen. The organization managed to secure 31 out of 138 parliamentary seats in the last election, thus adding complexity to Jordan's political landscape amidst efforts to curb Islamist influence in the region.
