Foreign spies recruit saboteurs in Europe via social media
Teemu Liikkanen, the new head of the Finnish Counter-Intelligence Agency, stated that foreign intelligence services are recruiting potential saboteurs in Europe through social media. Such actions aim to create an atmosphere of fear or halt certain activities. Financial incentives mainly lure saboteurs.
He highlighted that in addition to Russia, the primary spy agencies are from China, though several other countries are also involved.
Liikkanen, who has been heading the counter-intelligence division of Finland's Security Intelligence Service (Supo) since September, noted that indications of such activities are already visible in Europe.
In an interview published on Tuesday with the public broadcaster Yle, he specified that it involves various acts of vandalism or arson, with the aim of such sabotage being to create an atmosphere of fear or halt particular activities.
Supo's suspicions are primarily directed at Russia - it was emphasised in a report by the Finnish broadcaster.
According to Liikkanen, the perpetrators of the attacks may not even know where the orders to carry out the actions originate because they are recruited through intermediaries. This complicates investigations into confirming the criminal activities of a foreign state. Financial incentives primarily lure saboteurs.
Series of break-ins at infrastructure facilities
During the summer, various locations across Finland experienced a series of —as yet unexplained—break-ins at water infrastructure facilities, including water towers and distribution points. The media, experts, and politicians suggested possible sabotage or hybrid actions from the eastern neighbour.
Liikkanen, who previously worked as a police investigator before taking on his current role at Supo, acknowledged that there was no direct link to Russia in these instances.
