Finland Times

"Otherwise the sensibility of the operation could be placed in doubt," the Finnish national TV quoted Haglund as saying on Sunday. He frowned upon the way Sweden had handled publicity of the situation.

Swedish defence forces called off their operation on Friday, saying they had not been able to find anything concrete.

The search for a possible foreign submarine created a political wait-and-see attitude in the Baltic Sea area.

Haglund said if Finland would be in such a situation, Finland would not release information until something had been made sure. "We would not stage a farce," the minister said.

Haglund underlined the need to maintain the credibility of national defence and also the importance of not telling the potential enemy about "our ability to arrange surveillance on our shores."

The use of the word "farce" by Haglund became headlines in Sweden. Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish newspaper Svenska Daglbladet that he would not comment on what Haglund said.

Hultqvist said that Sweden had carried out a serious intelligence gathering operation.

Haglund gave two interviews on the subject. In the Finnish language version he refrained from the criticism, but made the argument in a Swedish language version.

Statements from Finland on the issue of defence have become sensitive in Sweden as Finland has not dismantled its defence capability to the extent as Sweden has. Sweden has, for example, given up general military conscription while Finland maintains it.