FINLAND: COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000579 STATE FOR S/CT/RSHORE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC EFIN KCRM KHLS FI SUBJECT: FINLAND: COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 120019 ¶1. Finland continued its support of the War on Terror, as evidenced by its approximately 100 troops deployed in Afghanistan in support of ongoing NATO/ISAF operations, 450 troops in KFOR operations in Kosovo and 60 in Chad. Officials of the Government of Finland focused on economic, social, and development aid projects aimed at addressing the conditions that terrorists exploit. Finland maintained its annual contribution of approximately $15 million in development assistance to Afghanistan, synchronizing reconstruction support in Afghanistan with other donors and announcing new Rule of Law (particularly police), governance, humanitarian and counternarcotics assistance initiatives. ¶2. Finnish and American officials shared counterterrorism information effectively, including a wide range of information on threat assessments, terrorist networks, and government responses to both. The Finnish government continued to participate actively in ongoing EU efforts to remove institutional barriers to counterterrorism cooperation. ¶3. During Finland's OSCE Chairmanship in 2008, Finland pursued the development of OSCE anti-terrorism initiatives. Supporting UN activities and seeking ways to intensify international co-operation in combating terrorism within the OSCE area constituted a central objective of the Finnish Chairmanship. ¶4. Finland pressed for EU cooperation with the U.S and the international community on counterterrorism issues. The Government of Finland used legislative and regulatory mechanisms to keep a close watch over potential terrorist cells or financial support operations and to interdict their activities within the country. Finland tightened its terrorism prevention law in May 2008, criminalizing planning and support for terrorism. Finland upgraded port and border security to monitor more traffic. In cases when another government presents a legal request for action or when an individual or organization is suspected of having committed an offense within Finland's borders, Finland has available regulations that allow it to freeze assets without prior UN or EU action. ¶5. Finland engaged in significant efforts to mitigate the social and economic factors that might lead members of the country's small (less than 2 percent) population of foreign-born residents to adopt extremist ideologies. It carried out programs to help Muslim and other immigrants find jobs and integrate into Finnish society, and it encouraged religious and ethnic tolerance through a variety of legislation, government- funded social programs, and ombudsmen's offices. BARRETT