Finnish resident suspected of leading ISIS terror cell from Finland

A man living in Finland is suspected of leading an ISIS-linked terror cell from Finnish soil, according to a report by Helsingin Sanomat cited by public broadcaster Yle.

Belgian authorities have detained the man, who allegedly directed a group of men tied to ISIS while residing in Finland. Prosecutors in Belgium are seeking a 12-year prison sentence for financing terrorism and plotting a bomb attack, though the suspect is not accused of targeting Finland.

The case is connected to a series of arrests in Finland in September 2024, when three other men were detained on suspicion of involvement in the same terror group. They were released within days, and no charges have been filed.

Mikko Salminen, head of investigations at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, confirmed to Helsingin Sanomat that the Finnish probe relates to the detained man’s alleged activities in Belgium. The investigation remains ongoing.