Finland Times

The suspects, who are Finns of Somali origin, are accused of sending about 4,000 U.S. dollars to East Africa between January 2008 to January 2011 to support the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.

The main suspect, who received a suspended prison sentence of one year and four months, was also accused of recruiting his brother to join Al-Shabaab, as well as abducting and taking minors to an Al-Shabaab training camp against their wishes. 

The other three suspects received a suspended sentences of five months. 

All the suspects have denied the charges against them. 

The trial of four people suspected of funding Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group in East Africa, began in the Helsinki District Court on On October 7.

The trial is Finland’s first terrorism-related case being handled by the court.

The four were involved in sending their own money or money collected from other sources to Kenya and Somalia to fund the operations of Al-Shabaab.

According to the document instituting the proceedings, the funding was collected mainly in small amounts and sent through informal money remittance services popularly known as Hawala.