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Finnish authorities said on Thursday they were investigating a slew of suspected break-ins at the homes of members of parliament, which President Alexander Stubb said would be “an attack on democracy” if confirmed.
Following media reports of the break-ins, speaker of parliament Jussi Halla-aho confirmed that parliament had been made aware of a “significant” number of break-ins and signs of attempted intrusions at the homes of several politicians.
“I cannot comment precisely on the number of suspected cases known to us, but in any event, it is significant,” Halla-aho said at a press conference.
He added that the known cases had occurred over a longer period of time, with the first believed to have taken place about a year ago.
“At this stage, there is no information about the motive or who was responsible,” he stressed.
Deputy speaker Paula Risikko, who leads the parliamentary security group, said she had been informed last week of the suspicions.
She added that Helsinki police had been tasked with the “initial stage of the investigation.”
In a statement, Helsinki police confirmed that a preliminary inquiry had been launched into the matter.
“The inquiry is at an early stage and the police have nothing further to comment on at this time,” it said.
All members of parliament had been told to remain vigilant, report observations and file police complaints if necessary.
Newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported earlier this week that MPs had been warned of potential break-ins last week and that the newspaper was aware of at least two home intrusions.
President Stubb said “an attack against a member of parliament is an attack against democracy.”
“It should not be allowed or accepted in any form,” he told reporters at a ceremony introducing the country’s new F-35 jet fighters in Rovaniemi in Finland’s far north.
Additional sources • AFP