Finland

Population: 5,84 millions 

National Security Service: Suojelupoliisi (Supo)

National threat level: 2 "Elevated" on a 4-step scale (Last update: June 14, 2017)

Last Islamist terrorist attack: 2017 Turku stabbings (August 18, 2017)

Compared to the other Nordic countries, Finland stands as a backyard of Islamist dynamics in the region. The local implantation of Islamism and development of terrorist cells was much slower in this country and quite often resulted of spillover effects from neighbour countries and for some cases, their actual influence among Finnish Muslims is not assessed with certainty. Indeed Finnish authorities did not pay specific attention to radicalized Muslim militants until the 911 attacks thus data and materials that could have provided information regarding Islamist acitivities throughout the 90's are not as comprehensive as they are for the other Nordic countries. Nonetheless, Islamism developped over the years to such extent that it ultimately got explicitly and officially referred to as Finland's greatest threat, ahead of Far-Right terrorism, by Head of Supo in April 2024.

Finland was mainly used as a recruitment and fund-collecting rear base for terrorist organizations from abroad such as Rawti Shax and Al-Shabaab, especially among the Youth from diasporas that settled in the country throughout the 90's. First indictment against Al-Shabaab and Rawti Shax activists took place in 2014. However local networks managed to develop, especially the Helsingin muslimit based in the Roihuovori mosque that most of Finnish extremists were connected to. As for the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) influence, it is quite marginal and mostly directed from its prominent Swedish wing, although the French MB-related Institut européen des sciences humaines has opened an extension in Finland in 2016. 

However, a terrorist attack was ultimately committed on Finland's own soil during the Turku stabbings in August 2017 by a radicalized Morrocan asylum seeker named Abderrahman Bouanane whose application was rejected. Although dreadful, this attack was a turning point in Finnish actions against Islamist activities. Terrorist crimes are covered by Chapter 34(a) of the Criminal Code since 2003, yet Finnish legislation in counterterrorism matters limped far behind those of the Nordic countries. As such, much efforts were implemented throughout the 2020's to update Finnish Laws and bring them into line with the regulations of regional neighbours. Improvements in this regard were effectively achieved, allowing Finnish authorities to take more initiative in intercepting and arresting individuals potentially involved in terrorist activities. Such was the case of a Spanish man arrested in December 2022 and charged with training to commit terrorist attacks and who was ultimately expelled from Finland in August 2023. Strategies against terrorism and terrorism financing are updated and reshaped on a regular basis yet much is to be done to adapt them to the threats looming over Finland security. 

As a result of the civil war in Syria, 80 Finns departed to join armed groups as well as the so-called Caliphate throughout the 2010's. Although Finnish security services expressed skepticism and reluctance regarding their repatriation, the Finnish Government carried out several actions to repatriate at least the children. This policy reached a dead end after 2021 since the few Finnish nationals remaining in Syria with their children expressed no interest in returning to Finland. The last repatriation recorded took place in May 2024. Just like Sweden, a scandal occured in 2023 when it was revealed by a local media outlet that none of the Finnish returnees were prosecuted for crimes committed during their stay in the Islamic State. In this regard, Finland stands out as a specific case among European countries considering that most of them have charged their returnees with terrorism upon their repatriation. It is implied that mere sympathizers, propagandists and fighters (and their children) are among those roaming free in Finland despite the repeated warnings made by Supo in 2020 and 2021. As such, it is quite common among specialists to portray Finland as the "weak link" of the Nordics.

Since the escalation of the war in Gaza, Finnish auhtorities are carefully monitoring the local security landscape although it had not been deteriorated as much as in Sweden and Denmark.