The disgraced Prince Hamzah bin Hussein said he would disobey the army's order not to communicate with the outside world after being placed under house arrest, Reuters reports.

The half-brother of King Abdullah and the former heir to the throne, in an audio recording sent to friends and a supporter, said that he would not obey if he was forbidden to engage in any activity and asked to remain silent.

On Saturday, the military warned the prince about actions that they say undermine security and stability in Jordan. Later, Prince Hamza announced that he was under house arrest. Several prominent figures were also detained.

Officials announced on Sunday that the prince had been in touch with people who had contacts with foreign forces in a plot to destabilize the country, and he had been under investigation for a while.

It is unclear why the kingdom decided to deal with Prince Hamza now, but he risked himself by frequently attending tribal meetings, where some criticized the king.

Officials said efforts were being made to resolve the royal family crisis, the first such open split in years, but Prince Hamza refused to cooperate.

King Abdullah removed Prince Hamzah bin Hussein from his position as heir to the throne in 2004.