Indonesian authorities have tasked thousands of police and military personnel to secure a court appearance of former President Joko Widodo, as tensions remain high in the capital over a wiretapping scandal involving senior police officers JAKARTA, Indonesia -- JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities tasked thousands of police and military personnel to provide security Thursday for a trial involving former President Joko Widodo, as tensions in the capital remained high over allegations that top officers had been involved in intercepting the current president's telephone conversations. Three senior generals have already been detained in the wiretapping scandal, including Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who had been named chief of staff to President Prabowo Subianto last month.
Listyo previously served as national police chief under Widodo, though the former president has not been implicated in the wiretapping investigation. In addition to President Prabowo, there are allegations that Cabinet officials, politicians, journalists, civil society leaders and business executives were also subjected to unauthorized surveillance. After losing two presidential races to Widodo, Prabowo aligned himself with the popular leader and campaigned as his successor, choosing Widodo’s son as his running mate in a move that fueled concerns about a growing political dynasty in Indonesia’s 25-year-old democracy.
Widodo and Prabowo were once close political allies, with Widodo backing Prabowo’s successful 2024 presidential bid, but their relationship has come under increased scrutiny amid signs of a growing rift since Prabowo took office. Neither of the two have commented on the wiretapping case. Oegroseno, a former deputy national police chief, told the Forum Keadilan TV podcast on Wednesday that investigators should examine all possible lines of command behind the wiretapping, including whether any directives originated from Widodo.
National Police Legal Division head Insp. Ahrie Sonta Nasution and Insp. Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute, were also detained.
Since arresting the generals, authorities have called in more than 20,000 troops to Jakarta and on Thursday said 6,770 police and military personnel had been deployed to secure Widodo's hearing. Widodo was called to testify in a defamation trial stemming from allegations that he used a fake university diploma. The trial is unrelated to the current wiretapping case As he arrived in the morning at the East Jakarta District Court, the former president was welcomed by hundreds of his supporters who chanted messages of encouragement as he entered the building.
The presidential palace has said the wiretaps were being considered an “act of treason” that endangered state interests, but has not linked the deployment of troops to Jakarta to the case. On Thursday, East Jakarta Police chief Alfian Nurrizal said the deployment of the thousands of police and military personnel was simply a precautionary measure due to potential security risks and large crowds, and that most of the forces were being held on standby. Indonesian armed forces spokesperson Maj.
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