A Jordanian court has sentenced four individuals to 20 years in prison for planning to “target national security,” in a case linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The sentences, handed down by Jordan’s state security court on Wednesday, also included fines, though the exact amounts were not specified.
In April, Jordan’s intelligence services revealed that they had arrested 16 suspects, allegedly thwarting plans aimed at destabilizing the country. The government had previously announced the banning of Muslim Brotherhood activities, accusing the group of stockpiling weapons and planning to create chaos within the kingdom.
The four convicted individuals were found guilty of possessing explosives, weapons, and ammunition, with intentions to use them to disrupt public order and endanger national security. These actions violated Jordan’s Anti-Terrorism Law.
While the court did not explicitly state whether the individuals were members of the Muslim Brotherhood, state television had aired confessions from three suspects, who admitted ties to the group. The Brotherhood swiftly distanced itself from the defendants, claiming they acted independently.
On April 23, Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya announced that the government had officially banned all activities associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring any future actions by the group a legal violation.
The Muslim Brotherhood had been operating in Jordan despite its dissolution by the country’s top court in 2020, with authorities largely overlooking its activities until now.
