The revelations on Tuesday night were nothing short of extraordinary in Indonesia.

Police revealed allegations that the former chief of police, who was serving as the president's chief of staff, had been tapping the calls of the most powerful man in the country.

By Wednesday, the president's spokesperson was using the "T" word.

"These actions may fall into the category of acts tending towards treason," presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi told reporters.

As he was speaking, thousands of military personnel were being mobilised in Jakarta.

The wire-tapping allegations and military deployment escalated the political temperature in the capital, a city that was already on edge.