Prince Hamzah bin Hussein Army. On 7 February 1999 King Hussein died and his eldest son Prince Abdullah bin Hussein acceded to the throne of Jordan, having two weeks previously been designated to succeed his father as ruler in place of the king's brother, Crown Prince Hassan bin Talal. On the same day, in compliance with his father's wish, King Abdullah II decreed that he, in turn, would be succeeded not by a son of his own but by his half-brother, Prince Hamzah, who was therefore accorded the title of crown prince. Nearly six years later, on 28 November 2004, King Abdullah removed Hamzah
Hussein of Jordan Sadiq Al-Shar'a, an army general who accompanied Hussein to the United States, was found to have been plotting a coup against the monarchy. News of the arrest of the conspiring officers in Jordan coincided with Hussein's visit to the US. Hussein was tipped off to Al-Shar'a's involvement, but did not reveal it until they both landed back in Jordan. Al-Shar'a was tried and received the death penalty; Hussein reduced his sentence to life imprisonment. Four years later, Al-Shar'a was pardoned and appointed director of Jordan's passport office. Hazza' Majali was appointed by Hussein to form a government; it consisted of