Turkish intelligence suspected of illegal surveillance activities in Finland

Turkish intelligence is likely engaged in illegal surveillance activities in Finland, according to Toni Alaranta, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. The Turkish intelligence agency is known to have sent agents to Finland to monitor its citizens and the activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). This assessment follows the recent arrest of a Finnish citizen in Turkey, believed to be linked to the PKK’s branch in Finland. Finland’s Security Intelligence Service (SUPO) has confirmed that some PKK activity exists in the country.

Turkish media presented an image of a woman arrested at Istanbul Airport, depicted sitting in a room adorned with a portrait of Abdullah Öcalan, the founder of the PKK. The source of the image has not been disclosed by the media.

In discussions on Yle’s morning shows, Alaranta and author Kristiina Koivunen addressed this case. SUPO has refrained from commenting on Alaranta’s views but has stated that it actively monitors and counters espionage attempts from foreign states.

“Counterintelligence is one of the core tasks of SUPO. Its goal is not only to prevent sensitive information from falling into foreign hands but also to thwart foreign authorities’ attempts to spy on and control their citizens residing in Finland,” SUPO reported to Yle.

According to SUPO, Finland is of particular interest to both Russia and China in terms of intelligence activities but also to several other nations.

SUPO’s threat assessment of national terrorism indicates that the threat posed by the PKK in Finland is low, with its activities focusing mainly on fundraising and influence operations. The agency considers the PKK to be a far-left group, predominantly engaged in non-violent activities within Finland, while any violent actions are primarily directed outside the country.