Jordan: Two officials face trial over plot against king

The trials of a distant relative of Jordan′s King Abdullah and his former royal court chief, accused of destabilizing the monarchy, will start next week in the Middle Eastern state, state media reported on Sunday.

Sherif Hassan Zaid and Bassem Awadallah were arrested in early April at the same as former heir to the throne, Prince Hamzah, was placed under house arrest.

Hamza was under investigation for being part of an international plot against the monarchyuntil he pledged alliance to King Abdullah a few days later.