In Finland, Iraqi man alleges Supo recruitment attempt and subsequent expulsion
In Finland, an Iraqi citizen referred to in the report as Omar said that a man who introduced himself as an employee of the Supo security service tried for nearly two years to persuade him to cooperate as an informant. After that, the Finnish Immigration Service issued a negative decision concerning him and ordered him to leave the country, citing a security threat. Omar suspects that the decision may have been linked to his refusal to cooperate. YLE News reports.
Omar's real name is not disclosed due to concerns for his family's safety. According to him, in August 2023, an unfamiliar man approached him near the then employment office in the Tikkurila district of Vantaa. The man allegedly identified himself as a Supo employee, asked to be called Timo, and showed a police ID card while covering the name and service details with his fingers.
Claims about contacts with Supo
Omar claims that Timo offered him to resume contact with two Iraqi acquaintances suspected of links to terrorism and provide Supo with information about their activities. According to the man, he repeatedly refused because he considered these people dangerous and feared for his wife and young children.
After the first meeting, as Omar states, the man continued to call and send messages signed "TE" — the name of the employment office near which they had met. Omar said that one morning his phone restarted, after which all data disappeared from it. His wife told YLE that before this she had seen the messages and heard the calls he received.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Omar also said that he received two envelopes containing money: 350 euros and later 1,000 euros. According to his version, Timo explained the payments as compensation for the time spent. Omar's wife confirmed to journalists that she had seen the money.
Decision to leave the country
According to Omar, after nearly two years of contact, he was informed that Supo had provided an assessment of him to the Finnish Immigration Service. Shortly afterward, the service issued a negative decision and ordered him to leave the country because it assessed him as a security threat. The man appealed the decision to an administrative court with the help of lawyer Ville Puntila, and later left Finland with his family.
YLE notes that it reviewed the immigration service's decisions, the appeal to the administrative court, and documents supporting Omar's account, and also spoke with his wife and lawyer. At the same time, the editorial team said it was unable to independently verify all of the man's claims.
Ilkka Hanski, head of Supo's security clearance unit, said that the service does not offer assistance in obtaining a residence permit or citizenship in exchange for cooperation. According to him, informants may be paid a reward for important information, but such cooperation is voluntary and can be refused at any time.
