The Jordanian government has officially banned the Muslim Brotherhood, days after authorities claimed to have uncovered a major terror plot involving rockets, drones, and explosives.
The dramatic announcement was made on Wednesday by Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya, who said the move was essential for maintaining national security and public order.
At a televised news conference, Faraya declared that all offices of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan would be shut down, its assets confiscated, and any of its activities deemed illegal henceforth.
“Members of this organization operate in the shadows and engage in activities that could undermine stability and security,” he said.
The Brotherhood, which has long maintained it operates as a peaceful movement, did not immediately issue a statement. However, it has previously denied any link to the recent allegations.
The government’s action follows last week’s announcement by Jordan’s General Intelligence Department that 16 individuals were arrested for allegedly plotting attacks intended to “sow chaos and sabotage” across the country.
The suspects were reportedly found in possession of explosives, automatic weapons, and components used to manufacture rockets and drones.
Authorities also claimed to have uncovered a concealed rocket ready for launch and evidence of militant training programs both inside and outside Jordan.
Faraya alleged that Brotherhood members had transported weapons between cities, stored explosives in residential areas, and destroyed documents to hide suspicious affiliations. “Their conduct violates the very essence of Jordanian law and sovereignty,” he said.
The ban raises questions about the future of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the Brotherhood’s political arm and the largest opposition bloc in Jordan’s parliament.
Shortly after the Interior Minister’s statement, police raided the IAF’s headquarters in Amman, further heightening political tensions.
Wael Saqqa, Secretary General of the IAF, pushed back against the crackdown. “We are an independent political party with no relationship with any other organizational body,” he said in a press statement.
“We always declare that we are committed to order, the law, and the provisions of the constitution.”
In 2020, Jordan’s highest court had already ruled that the Muslim Brotherhood was “dissolved” due to its failure to rectify its legal status.
Despite that ruling, the group continued its political and charitable activities, and the IAF contested the 2024 parliamentary elections, winning 31 out of 138 seats.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, advocates for governance based on Islamic principles. It is outlawed in Egypt and several Gulf countries, which regard it as a subversive organization.
While the Jordanian public remains divided on the issue, government officials insist the ban is a necessary step to safeguard the kingdom’s internal stability.
Analysts, however, warn that suppressing one of the country’s most organized political forces could backfire, deepening polarization and unrest.
With political uncertainty looming, the future of both the Brotherhood’s influence in Jordan and the Islamic Action Front’s presence in parliament remains in question.