HELSINKI: Finland's intelligence and security agency Supo on Wednesday raised the country's terror threat level by a notch, seeing an increased risk of an attack committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS).
The threat level was raised from "low" to "elevated", the second notch on a new four-tier scale just introduced, Supo said in a statement.
"Supo has become aware of more serious terrorism-related projects and plans in Finland. Foreign terrorist fighters (who have) left from Finland have gained significant positions within IS in particular and have an extensive network of relations in the organisation," it said in its new assessment.
The agency said it was keeping a particularly close eye on around 350 individuals, an increase of 80 percent since 2012.
"Finland's profile within the radical Islamist propaganda has become stronger. Finland is considered as a Western country and a part of the anti-IS coalition, and propaganda is produced in the Finnish language and directed against Finland. The propaganda incites attacks in Finland," it wrote.
Supo's two higher threat levels are "high" and "severe".
Contrary to its two Nordic neighbours, Norway and Sweden, Finland has never experienced a terrorist attack on its soil.