Former Supo officials charged with falsifying applications for wiretapping permits

Prosecutor Jukka Rappe disclosed that Supo officers supplied the Helsinki District Court with inaccurate written and oral information to secure wiretapping, device monitoring and tele-surveillance permits for a specific individual in the summer of 2020. The court approved the authorisations, but the prosecutor now alleges that former chief Antti Pelttari, former department head Pertti Haaksluoto and former operative Seppo Ruotsalainen, together with additional ex-officials, committed illegal civil intelligence and abused their positions.

The scandal forms part of a larger probe into Supo's alleged use of its own retirees to collect intelligence on Russian espionage activities over many years. Seven people have been charged in the retirement-related strand, while a total of ten individuals face accusations ranging from abuse of office to disclosure of security secrets. All defendants deny wrongdoing, and the cases will be heard together in Helsinki District Court.