Seven Finnish security police staff face secrecy charges

Seven current and former employees of Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service are accused of disclosing security secrets, in a case that begins at the Helsinki District Court on Friday. Yle reports that four of the accused also face charges of misconduct in public office.

The case is the largest criminal investigation involving the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, known as Supo, in the country’s history. According to Yle, it mainly concerns the agency’s counterintelligence unit using retired former employees as sources between 2012 and 2024. Prosecutors allege that civilians who had retired from Supo should no longer have had access to the agency’s classified information.

Counterintelligence refers to efforts to prevent espionage by foreign states. In this case, the focus is on Russian espionage. Yle reports that none of the accused is suspected of working for a foreign state; the question is whether Supo’s methods were lawful.

Six defendants are charged with disclosing security secrets and one with negligent disclosure. The offence can involve publishing, passing on or handing over information critical to Finland’s security, and is classified as a treason offence. It is generally punishable by imprisonment. All seven deny wrongdoing.

Previously published decisions not to prosecute in some matters indicate that investigators suspected Supo employees had outsourced surveillance and technical observation requiring police powers to a civilian. Investigators also suspected that at least one civilian had unsupervised access to Supo’s information systems, safes, secret surveillance locations and materials, as well as equipment and materials used for technical observation in civilian intelligence work.

Former Supo chief Antti Pelttari is charged with disclosing security secrets in August and September 2020 and abusing his official position between 2012 and 2023. He led Supo from 2011 to 2023, before becoming secretary general of Parliament. He denied the allegations during the preliminary investigation.

Former head of counterintelligence Pertti Haaksluoto faces two charges of disclosing security secrets, relating to 2017 to 2024, and two charges of abuse of office, relating to 2012 to 2024. He also denied the allegations. He retired shortly after the preliminary investigation began in 2024.

Former deputy chief Seppo Ruotsalainen is charged with disclosing security secrets between 2014 and 2021. He denied the charge during the preliminary investigation. He now works as a senior specialist at the Crisis Management Centre. He joined Supo in 1999 and, among other roles, led its counterintelligence unit.

Former head of counterterrorism Lasse Anttila is charged with disclosing security secrets between 2014 and 2017. He denied the allegation during the preliminary investigation.

The National Prosecution Authority brought charges against the seven current or former employees. Some defendants were initially suspected of additional offences, but prosecutors decided not to bring charges in several of those matters. The full details of the charges are expected to emerge as the trial begins.