The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) has published its yearbook and said that the terrorist threat in Finland remains 'elevated' but unchanged at level 2 on a four-level scale.
Reacting to the current restrictions on movement imposed in Finland to curtail the spread of novel coronavirus, SUPO Director Antti Pelttari warned, “Exceptional circumstances create opportunities for illegal intelligence, cyber espionage and large-scale influencing activity by foreign states. Illegal intelligence is targeted against the impacts of the pandemic on the Finnish society, the performance of authorities, the activity of companies, or the security of supply.”
According to Supo, "Extremist movements may try to exploit the growing social confrontation."
LONE WOLVES
Supo says that lone operators (or lone wolves) pose the greatest threat in regard to terrorism.
“Travel to and long periods of stay in the Syrian-Iraqi conflict zone have boosted especially radical Islamist networks and strengthened their ability and capacity to engage in acts of violence. ISIL remains a threat in Western countries despite its territorial losses in Syria and Iraq,” the intelligence agency says.
"Extreme right-wing terrorism, too, is also a growing danger in Western countries," the Supo said. And added that, "The inspirational impact of recent attacks, social confrontation, and especially online radicalization encourage similar individual acts of violence in Finland."
