JERUSALEM (AP) Jordanian authorities said Sunday they foiled a malicious plot by a former crown prince to destabilize the kingdom with foreign support, contradicting the senior royals claims that he was being punished for speaking out against corruption and incompetence.

Faced with rival narratives, the United States and Arab governments quickly sided with Jordans King Abdullah II, reflecting the countrys strategic importance in a turbulent region.

Domestically, Prince Hamzahs unprecedented criticism of the ruling class without naming the king could lend support to growing complaints about poor governance and human rights abuses in Jordan.

At the same time, the kings tough reaction placing his popular half-brother under house arrest and accusing him of serious crimes illustrated the limits on public dissent he is willing to tolerate.

The kingdoms stability and security transcend everything, said Ayman Safadi, Jordans foreign minister and deputy prime minister, as he accused Hamzah and two senior Jordanian officials of conspiring with foreign elements to destabilize the kingdom. The plot is totally contained.

Yet Safadis news conference Sunday did little to address questions surrounding the weekends dramatic evens. In the night from Saturday to Sunday, Hamzah had announced in a secretly recorded video leaked to the media that he had been placed under house arrest.