Finland’s first terror trial starts in Helsinki

The four defendants arrived with hoods up for Finland's first ever terror trial Image: Tuuli Toivanen / Yle

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

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Finland’s first-ever terror trial started on Monday with the reading of charges against four defendants who stand accused of funding terror groups in East Africa.

Prosecutors allege that the four accused have collected and delivered funds to the Somali al-Shabaab organisation to purchase arms and ammunition.

The accused have admitted transferring money, but deny that they engaged in financing terrorist activities. One of the female defendants says that the man who received the funds, who is known as a radical preacher in Kenya, is her husband.

The prosecutor says that their relationship does not meet the definition of a marriage in Finnish law. Prosecutor Juha-Mikko Hämäläinen says that although the sums are small, at 3,200 euros, they can go a long way in funding terror groups in East Africa.

Kalashnikovs come cheap

“200-300 dollars will get you a Kalashnikov and ammunition,” said Hämäläinen during a break in the trial. “One fighter gets about 50 dollars a month. We understand that the money was used for exactly these purposes.”

The prosecutor says that wiretaps revealed the money had been used to buy weapons, shoes and food for Al-Shabaab fighters. The accused admit sending money via the Hawala informal money transfer network, but deny it went to terrorist groups.

One of the group is also accused of recruiting his brother for Al-Shabaab. He denies that charge, saying that his brother had made the decision himself to join Al-Shabaab.

“[During the investigation] nobody has asked the brother’s opinion, on why he joined Al-Shabaab, if indeed he has joined that group,” said defence lawyer Jarkko Jaatela in court.

Radicalised in prison?

Jaatela said that the brother had been in prison in Africa and that was another possible cause of his radicalisation.

That defendant is also accused of arranging the delivery of the brother’s wife and two children to an Al-Shabaab training camp in Somalia, against their will.

He denies that charge, saying he only intended for his brother to meet his family in Kenya.

Prosecutors say that they have evidence of the plan from recorded phone conversations, and that their information was so reliable that they were able to intervene to prevent the plan from coming to fruition.

The prosecutor is asking for prison sentences of less than two years, which in practice means a suspended sentence.

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