VZCZCXRO3320
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHHE #0579 3580931
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230931Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4720
INFO RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

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