Man convicted in Belgium under terrorism investigation in Finland

A man sentenced to a long prison term in Belgium for involvement with the terrorist group ISIS is now a suspect in a terrorism investigation in Finland, according to the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI).

The Finland-based man was convicted in early June in Antwerp, Belgium, of financing terrorism and planning a bomb attack, receiving a 12-year prison sentence. He has denied the charges.

He is one of six suspects in a preliminary investigation concerning radical Islamist activity and alleged terrorism linked to ISIS. The case is being examined under the charge of participation in a terrorist group’s activities.

The NBI is determining whether any offenses occurred in Finland that were not addressed in the Belgian investigation.

The probe began in 2024 with five suspects, three of whom were briefly detained. Currently, none of the five are in custody.

The Finnish investigation does not involve direct planning of attacks, as the NBI has not identified an immediate threat of such activity in Finland or elsewhere.