Jordan accused the Muslim Brotherhood of planning an attack within the country and introduced a comprehensive ban on the group on Wednesday.
The Islamic Action Front gained foothold in Parliament last year after its campaign against Gaza's Israeli invasion.
Details are available on the Muslim Brotherhood and its scope throughout the Middle East.
What is the Muslim Brotherhood?
The Muslim Brotherhood is a Sunni Islamist movement founded in 1928 by Egyptian school teacher Hassan Al Banna, who argued that religious renewal would help the Muslim world avoid colonialism and Western influences.
He sometimes contradicted the focus of the group and avoided defining what the Islamic government would look like. Albanna was assassinated in 1949 at the age of 43.
Nevertheless, the group's doctrine spreads throughout the region, where many political movements operate loosely and independently, and trace their roots to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
Some of the related groups use the Muslim Brotherhood by name, but others do not. Similarly, some groups are explicitly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, while others are derived or descendants.
The Muslim Brotherhood has condemned violence, but some people who are unhappy with the group's attitude have left to more radical organizations like al-Qaeda.
What happened to Jordan?
The announcement on Wednesday comes a week after Jordanian security services arrested 16 people accused of threatening national security with weapons and explosives and said they plan to build drones.
Jordan's Home Minister Mazin Al Farei proposed at a press conference that the plot was connected to the group, saying that “elements of the Muslim Brotherhood” would “work in the dark and carry out activities that tamper with stability, security and national unity.”
The Muslim Brotherhood did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the Jordanian ban.
This is not the first time Jordan has opposed the group.
In 2016, Jordan closed its headquarters for the Muslim Brotherhood in Amman, the capital, and in 2020 the court took steps to dissolve the group. However, the Islamic Front of Action was permitted to continue operation.
Experts say Jordan's drastic ban on Wednesday may be linked to a global pushback against Hamas, founded by men operating in the Muslim Brotherhood during Israel's first Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule in the West Bank and Gaza.
“The Middle East Programme of Strategic and International Studies in Washington,” said John B. Alterman, director of the Middle East Programme for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. However, he stated that the reasoning was ultimately unknown.
“There is a way Gaza is playing now. This can create domestic concerns for the Jordanian government, reduce tolerance towards political opposition, and make domestic unrest more frightening,” he added.
The majority of Jordan's population is Palestinian, and Jordan experienced local dissatisfaction in the war in Gaza, particularly after the Jordanian government supported Israel, which overthrew Iran's missiles last spring.
Internal rifts of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood have been growing in recent years. Moderate members want to ease tensions between the government and the group, but more aggressive factions prefer to challenge the country's rulers to rights and reform.
How is the group viewed all over the world?
During President Trump's first term, his administration considered labeling the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. This would have imposed extensive travel and economic restrictions on those interacting with loose knitting groups in the distance.
The proposal struck the Middle East and encountered criticism from officials and experts.
Some of the moves by the Muslim Brotherhood in Arab countries have defended democratic elections, causing friction in places led by authoritarian governments.
Group support has declined in places that were once popular, such as Egypt and Tunisia, as governments cracked down on the group. In Egypt, for example, the military resigned President Mohamed Morsi, a former brotherly love leader who was elected during the Arab Spring. In 2013, the country's leader banned the group and imprisoned many of its members.
What's next for the Islamic Front of Action?
It is not immediately clear how the ban will affect operations on the Islamic Front of Action.
Police surrounded the group's headquarters in Amman on Wednesday and said at a press conference that the party's secretary general Wael Saqqa was surprised by the search that authorities conducted but voluntarily followed.
The Islamic Front of Action did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Vivienne Nereim, David D. Kirkpatrick and Rana F. Sweis Reports of contributions.
