Jordan’s Crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood Signals Major Political Shift

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Jordan’s Crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood Signals Major Political Shift

 

In a move that could reshape the political landscape of Jordan, authorities announced a sweeping ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, accusing the Islamist group of plotting attacks and threatening national stability. This unprecedented step could dismantle the Islamic Action Front, the country's largest opposition party, which has long been affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

The decision follows heightened tensions in the region and comes amid widespread protests over Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas. Although the Muslim Brotherhood was officially banned a decade ago, Jordan had continued to tolerate the Islamic Action Front, a licensed political wing, while curbing its activities. Now, even that tolerance appears to be evaporating.

 

Security forces raided the Islamic Action Front’s headquarters following the announcement, seizing boxes of documents as part of an escalating crackdown. The Interior Ministry declared the Brotherhood an illegal organization and ordered the closure of its offices, an end to all political activities tied to it, and an acceleration of efforts to confiscate its assets. “It has been proven that members of the group operate in the dark and engage in activities that could destabilize the country,” the ministry said. “Members of the dissolved Muslim Brotherhood have tampered with security and national unity, and disrupted security and public order.”

 

In a particularly serious allegation, the ministry claimed that the son of a Brotherhood leader had participated in an attempt to manufacture and test explosives intended for use against security forces. This follows the arrest of 16 individuals last week, whom the government accused of making short-range missiles, stockpiling explosives and automatic weapons, and training recruits for illegal armed activities. The accused were linked to what the government termed “unlicensed groups,” a label widely interpreted to include the Brotherhood.

 

 

Despite these accusations, the Muslim Brotherhood has denied any involvement in subversive activities and insisted it remains committed to the country's stability. “We always declare that we are committed to order, the law, and the provisions of the constitution,” said Wael Al-Saqqa, Secretary-General of the Islamic Action Front. He rejected claims of an organizational relationship with the Brotherhood and expressed surprise at the raid on the party’s offices. “It had no relationship with any other organizational body, whatever it may be,” he added.

 

The crackdown may mark the end of a long, uneasy relationship between the Jordanian monarchy and the Brotherhood. “When the state chose to publicize the alleged plot, it signaled an irreversible shift — maintaining the status quo was no longer viable,” said Amer Sabaileh, a political analyst based in Jordan. “This marks a pivotal moment for Jordan. The relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood has fundamentally changed and will not return to its previous state.”

 

Jordan, a key Western ally and perceived island of calm in a volatile region, borders Israel, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. It hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees and plays a vital geopolitical role.

 

Founded nearly 100 years ago in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has chapters across the globe. While its leaders assert that the movement renounced violence decades ago in favor of achieving Islamic governance through elections and peaceful advocacy, many governments across the Middle East view it as a destabilizing threat.

 

With this latest move, Jordan appears to be joining the ranks of those countries that see no place for the Brotherhood in their political systems.

 

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Jordan Uncovers Muslim Brotherhood Cell Plotting Rocket and Drone Attacks

 

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