Jordan royal palace denies rumours

Jordan's royal palace warned it would take legal measures against anyone spreading what it said were lies about the ruling family, just days after King Abdullah relieved his brothers from top army posts in a major shakeup.

The king, a staunch US ally, said on Tuesday that his brothers Prince Ali and Prince Faisal and his cousin Prince Talal - who all had high military ranks - would be retiring from the armed forces.

He said the move was part of a reorganization of the armed forces' hierarchy and structure.

Prince Faisal was head of the royal air force and deputy chief of staff, while Prince Ali had for years been in charge of the royal guards responsible for the king's protection.

Talal Bin Mohammad, a Sandhurst graduate who was and an officer in the elite special forces, was also sent into retirement. They were all given honorary promotions.

A palace statement on Sunday said it would pursue legal measures against those who propagated "lies and false claims" in social media and online websites with the goal of driving a wedge between the royal family and ordinary Jordanians.

"These fabricated news circulated recently are aimed at undermining Jordan and its institutions," the statement said.