Indonesia's police chief says illegal wiretapping of president extended to many other government officials

Detailed summary

Gen. Suyudi Ario Seto appeared before a parliamentary panel as lawmakers investigate the operation alleged to have involved several high-ranking officials. | World News

Indonesia's police chief told lawmakers Thursday that an illegal wiretapping operation targeting President Prabowo Subianto also surveilled senior government officials, politicians, activists and law enforcement personnel, widening a scandal that has shaken the country’s political and security establishment.

Gen. Suyudi Ario Seto appeared before a parliamentary panel as lawmakers investigate the operation alleged to have involved several high-ranking officials, including Prabowo's own chief of staff. He alleged the targets of the surveillance included the president, officials within the presidential palace, ministries, state institutions, lawmakers, political party figures, governors, anti-corruption officials, activists and students.

“The fact that someone appeared on the list of surveillance targets does not mean they are suspected of any wrongdoing,” Seto told parliament’s Commission III, which oversees law enforcement and security affairs.

The wiretap allegations came to light earlier this month after three senior police generals were detained including Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was named chief of staff to Prabowo in October and has close ties to former President Joko Widodo. Since then, a fourth top police official has been implicated.

Prabowo's office said the operation was being investigated as a case of possible treason. The government ordered 20,000 troops to Jakarta as a precaution, though there has not yet been any sign of a major military presence on the streets of the capital, with most kept on standby in barracks.

Part of the investigation is determining the origin of the order to wiretap the president.

Widodo, known popularly in Indonesia as Jokowi, has ties to the main suspects, which already has deepened a rift between the former president and Prabowo, said Evan Laksmana, a Singapore-based analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“The majority of Prabowo's political decision making in the past two years always have some Jokowi…

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