AMMAN
Jordanian authorities on Thursday arrested deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood’s branch in the kingdom Zaki Bani Arshid on the background of his earlier statements against the United Arab Emirates, a security source.
“The security agencies arrested Bani Arshid over his remarks against the United Arab Emirates over its release of a list of designated terrorist groups, which included the Brotherhood,” the source told The Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity.
“Bani Arshid has made press remarks, during which he offended the United Arab Emirates over its decision to add the Brotherhood to its terror list,” he added.
The source said that the arrest came to “preserve Jordan’s interests and relations with a brotherly nation that hosts a considerable number of Jordanians.”
On Monday, Bani Arshid denounced the Emirate decision, and slammed the United Arab Emirates as the “top sponsor of terror.”
The Brotherhood's Islamic Action Front Party also denounced the Emirate designation, saying the decision ran counter to both logic and wisdom.
In response to Bani Arshid’s arrest, party spokesman Murad Adayleh deplored the move as “an insult to the nation and a bid to stifle voices.”
“The Brotherhood operates in Jordan in line with law and constitution and has contributed to the country’s security and stability for over 70 years,” he added.
On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates included the Muslim Brotherhood in a terrorism list that also contained 82 other movements and organizations.
Included in the list as well were the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the Shiite Houthi movement and Egypt-based Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.
The United Arab Emirates is not the only Arab country to label the Brotherhood a "terrorist" movement. Egypt branded the movement, from which ousted president Mohamed Morsi hails, a "terrorist" movement late last year.
Saudi Arabia followed in Egypt's footsteps in March of this year.
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