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Military Allegedly Joins the Group Chat: WhatsApp Infiltration and Martial Law Rumors in One Week
What Actually Happened
| # | Claim | Date | Entities | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | An investigation by Tempo alleges that members of the Indonesian military (TNI) infiltrated WhatsApp groups during recent protests to incite violence and vandalism. | Tempo, TNI, WhatsApp, protests | Tempo ("Siapa Perusuh Demonstrasi Agustus") (archived) | |
| 2 | The allegations also claim that the Defense Minister attempted to convince President Prabowo Subianto to enact martial law. | Defense Minister, President Prabowo Subianto, martial law | Tempo ("Cerita Tarik-Menarik Darurat Militer dari Istana saat Demo Memanas") (archived) | |
| 3 | The claims were published in a Tempo investigation. | Tempo | Tempo editorial note ("Ada Tentara di Balik Rusuh Unjuk Rasa") (archived) | |
| 4 | The allegations were commented on by Indonesia Last Week in a satirical TikTok video on September 9, 2025. | Indonesia Last Week, TikTok | Indonesia Last Week (TikTok, @indonesialastweek) (archived) | |
| 5 | Both the TNI and the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) have denied these allegations. | TNI, Kemhan | Tempo ("Klarifikasi TNI soal Dugaan Keterlibatan Prajurit dalam Kerusuhan Demo Agustus") + ANTARA News (Kemhan denial) (archived) | |
| 6 | The denials were supported by their stated 'strong history of conduct during times of crises.' | TNI, Kemhan | Indonesia Last Week (TikTok, @indonesialastweek) (archived) |