Indonesia Deploys 21,000 Troops After Police Generals Wiretap President
President Prabowo Subianto dismissed his chief of staff and mobilized thousands of troops after three police generals were arrested for illegally wiretapping the president and state officials.
Indonesian authorities detained three senior police generals on November 3, 2026, for allegedly wiretapping Prabowo Subianto and dozens of prominent figures between 2025 and 2026. The suspects include Presidential Chief of Staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo, National Police Legal Division head Ahrie Sonta Nasution, and Eko Hadi Santoso. Investigators allege the officers used the Lawful Interception Management System without legal basis and attempted to delete electronic files in late October to conceal the operation.
President Prabowo responded by ordering a transparent investigation and dismissing Listyo Sigit Prabowo from his post. Army General Aryo Windutomo was appointed acting Presidential Chief of Staff to ensure continuity. While Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra initially stated there were no indications of treason, government officials later characterized the surveillance as a serious matter that could be regarded as an act tending toward treason intended to incapacitate the president.
Following the arrests, the Indonesian Military deployed 20,980 personnel to Jakarta to maintain national security. The mobilization, ordered by Commander Agus Subiyanto, involved Navy and Marine units from Java and Lampung. This security surge coincides with broader political instability, including anti-government protests and calls for the impeachment of Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The detained generals face charges under the Criminal Code and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, with potential prison sentences of up to 10 years.
