Jordan Bans Muslim Brotherhood Amid Terror Allegations, Extending Threat to Somalia

by: Ali Yusuf | 24 April 2025 13:30

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Jordan Bans Muslim Brotherhood Amid Terror Allegations, Extending Threat to Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) – The Jordanian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, ramping up its crackdown on the Islamist group following the arrest of several of its members suspected of plotting large-scale attacks aimed at

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Jordanian police guard an Islamic Action Front office in Amman on the day the ban on the Muslim Brotherhood was announced. | PHOTO/ REUTERS.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (HORN OBSERVER) – The Jordanian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, ramping up its crackdown on the Islamist group following the arrest of several of its members suspected of plotting large-scale attacks aimed at destabilizing the country.

The decision comes amid growing tensions in the region and increasing international attention on the Brotherhood’s activities, particularly in Somalia.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya announced on Wednesday the closure of all Brotherhood offices, the seizure of its assets, and the declaration of its activities as illegal.

The move follows the arrest of 16 individuals believed to be linked to the group, who are accused of planning attacks involving explosives and drones.

Twelve of Islamist group members have been formally charged with terrorism-related offenses.

Although the Brotherhood was legally dissolved in Jordan in 2020, its political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), continues to hold significant sway, remaining the largest opposition party in parliament.

The crackdown comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and its regional repercussions.

Growing Influence in Somalia

The ban in Jordan also casts a spotlight on the Brotherhood’s influence in Somalia, where the group, through its affiliate Al-Islah, has maintained significant control over political and educational institutions.

Somali officials, including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, are closely aligned with the Brotherhood, fostering an environment where the group’s radical ideology can flourish.

PHOTO: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, are closely aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.

In Somalia, the Brotherhood operates a network of banks, universities, and Islamic schools, some of which have faced allegations of indoctrinating children and promoting extremist views.

The group’s influence in Somalia has raised alarms, particularly after Prime Minister Barre publicly supported Hamas following the October 7 2023 attack on Israel, further exacerbating concerns about the government’s ties to extremist elements.

The Somali Prime Minister launched a campaign to support Hamas and even described Israelis and Jewish people as "children of donkeys, and pigs."

Influenced by these remarks, the Muslim Brotherhood mobilized protests in Mogadishu, where some extremist members of the group called for violence against foreign diplomatic missions based near Mogadishu airport.