Finnish court rejects far-right terrorism charges

A Finnish appeals court has dismissed terrorism-related charges against two men from Kankaanpää linked to far-right extremism.

The Vaasa Court of Appeal ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the men had decided to commit a crime with terrorist intent under the law. The court also stated that mere possession of explosives and deep admiration for far-right ideology were insufficient to establish terrorist intent in one of the cases.

Both men had been accused of training for terrorism, with one additionally charged with an explosives offence for terrorist purposes. The lower court had previously rejected the terrorism charges as well.

However, the appeals court upheld convictions on other charges. One man received a two-year, three-month prison sentence for aggravated assault and two counts of assault. The other was given a one-year, eight-month suspended sentence for aggravated extortion and coercion.

In the district court, the men had been sentenced to over a year of conditional imprisonment for firearms, explosives, and assault offences.

Three other men, not charged with terrorism-related offences, were also convicted in the case and received varying prison terms for other crimes.